Spirited Away: The Second Immersion
by amazingartistry
Summary: Chihiro, once a small child, now a sixteen year old girl. This is her story. This is not a story for children, or for the weak willed. It is not the same story you saw through a child's eyes, but an adolescent's. Some may notice the spirit world is not as kind as it once seemed... Book 2: Spirited Away: The Gatekeeper's (Complete) Book 3: Spirited Away: The Seed of Existence (IP)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Slippery slopes

* * *

I was in the car staring out at the sunrise, windows fogged by the morning chill.

Dad was taking me somewhere, but I couldn't put my finger on where. I took a moment to look at his face...

It looked worn and ragged; he had the most sorrowful expression in his eyes. I didn't like it, so I looked away.

I let my mind drift on other topics.

The sunrise, it was so pretty...

The car had started to swerve. I looked over at the drivers seat, only to see my dad slumped over in it.

I tried to grab the wheel, but it was no use. We were going down. I felt my heart sink in my stomach as I waited for...

…

My alarm clock!? Ugh, not again.

I had been having the same dream consistently for the past two weeks, and every time I woke up in a sweat. I sat there for a couple of minutes, so tired. I let my head hit the pillow again.

"Chihiro? Are you getting ready sweet heart?" yelled my mom in the next room.

"Yes, I'm up mom." I said with a mournful moan.

She sighed.

"Then why are your lights still off? Chihiro, we talked about this."

My dad yelled from the next room.

"Chihiro? Are you still in bed!?"

I quickly got up and turned my lights on.

"Nope, not now."

I tried to get ready as fast as I possibly could, almost ripping my new school uniform skirt. I ran toward my bedroom door, and ever so gracefully tripped over my half open sock drawer on the way out to the kitchen.

My head lay next to a pile of dirty laundry, the smell of used socks and old deodorant filling my nose.

I groaned with dismay.

"Ughh… Why do I always forget to do laundry?"

"Chihiro, get a move on! You're going to be late!" My dad yelled.

I stood, and hit my head on the open shirt drawer.

 _"_ _Dammit! Not again! Ugh, I'm such a clutz…"_

I walked into the kitchen and sat at the table for breakfast.

My dad was livid. You could tell by the way he looked down at the table.

He was dead silent, and his face had reddened to the point in which it resembled a tomato.

I looked down at my cereal bowl and tried not to make eye contact.

He sighed.

"So, I heard you're failing your math class, and I've been getting calls from the school. They say you've been skipping class."

I nearly choked on my cereal.

"What!? I mean, it's true, but... you don't understand."

I could feel it escalate right then and there.

"Well, dammit Chihiro. you're sixteen years old, and you're still slacking off like a ten year old. and you tell me I don't understand, but you never tell me anything!"

I felt my own anger rise.

"Well, maybe I don't tell you anything because you always get like you're getting now. angry and over-dramatic."

He slammed his fist on the table.

"Really!? You have no idea what I go through every day at work in this damn demeaning job, to what? Come home to a spoiled brat who I happen to support. You, young lady, have no appreciation for the people around you."

I flipped out.

"Well!? Why do you think that is? You basically said it just then. YOU are my caretaker, that's it. Real dad's listen to their kids."

He snapped too.

"Get out! Go to school, I don't even want to see you right now!"

"Fine! I will!" I said as I left the house and slammed the door.

I felt tears spill out of my eyes in spite of my anger. I let the sorrow follow me to the bus stop.

"Hey! It's ghost girl!" Yelled a student.

"Hey skitzo, find your imaginary boyfriend yet?"

I walked past them and ignored them as I stood and waited for my bus.

"You deaf now too skitzo?" Said another.

"Well if I wasn't then, I am now you loud bitch." I said with a hint of triumph.

She gaped.

"Some little freaks need a good pounding!"

She swung, and hit me square in the nose.

I stood, and shouldered the blow, blood beginning to trickle from my nose.

I wiped the blood onto my sleeve

 _"_ _Great, not this again…"_

I shook my head.

"I guess you're too much of a fucking ditz to fight with words. Also, do me a favor and come up with a new line! It's sad, I'm almost getting bored of the same old stupid junk."

Her face became red, her composure slipping for a moment.

She followed with a smug grin.

"Trying to play it cool? Well you can play your little act all you want, that doesn't change the fact that no one likes you. Hell, I bet even your parents have thought about what it would have been like… you know, if your mom would've just swallowed, no one would have to deal with a freak like you."

That one hit too close for comfort.

The students muttered with amusement.

The girl walked up to me, her thin lips curled into a nasty grin.

"What's the matter? Ghost got your tongue?"

I pulled back and whacked her in the face, knocking her against the large tree behind her, knocking her out…

It was just in time for the bus to pull up.

The bus driver stepped off of the bus.

"What on earth is going on!?" She yelled.

She walked up to me, and pointed an accusing finger at me.

"You, what's the meaning of this!? Explain yourself!"

I went red as I stuttered.

"I-Um, it was just—!"

One of the students spoke up.

"Chihiro and Aimi were having an argument, and Chihiro blew it way out of proportion, not to mention she escalated the whole thing!"

I gaped.

"You are LYING! HE'S LYING—!"

"Enough!" The bus driver barked.

"As far as I'm concerned, you are the one who has this reputation for lying. I'm going to call an ambulance, and you're lucky I don't inform the police of your violent actions! I will however, be informing your parents as to why I wont allow a violent animal onto my bus!"

Another student began to laugh.

"Looks like you get to walk skitzo!"

The driver looked at him.

"That's enough out of you. Go, board the bus, all of you. I will be calling an ambulance. Don't worry, I'll make sure your teachers understand that there was a delay at the bus-stop."

The students began to board the bus.

She looked over at me.

"If I ever see anything like this again, I will report it to the police. I suggest you start walking."

I began to walk toward the direction of the school.

I was shaking, tears streaming down my face.

 _"_ _Dammit… What am I going to tell them now!? My Parents… They probably do hate me! I wish I were a better daughter!"_

I quickly walked away from the bus stop, hoping I could at least make it to second hour on time.

...

Chihiro's father sighed, his head in his hands.

"I… I just don't get it Minae. Why? Why can't we just talk like we used to… She's such a good kid, she just needs to get her head in the right place is all."

Chihiro's mother shook her head.

"Yeah… That kid. She's so bright, and very beautiful. She had mentioned that kids have been picking on her at the bus-stop… They're probably jealous of her. Do you think maybe that has something to do with it Hiroki? We should look into that."

He looked down, his features riddled with guilt.

"It wouldn't be the first time… remember when we had to move her to a different school? Poor thing, she had just gotten used to the idea of switching the first time. Damn kids can be mean, and that teacher accused our daughter of lying!"

She sighed.

"Yeah, I remember that… God, it seems like just yesterday she was—"

The phone began to ring.

Chihiro's father walked over to the phone, and picked it up.

"Hello, Ogino Hiroki speaking."

He was silent for a moment.

His eyes widened.

"She-She did what!?"

Chihiro's mother slapped her palm to her face.

"What happened this time!?"

"There has to be another reason!" Chihiro's father yelled.

"I've known her longer than you have, and she wouldn't do something like that over some simple squabble!"

He was silent again, his face becoming more and more red as his face contorted into a look of rage.

"What do you mean you made her walk!? Th-This is an outrage! If THIS is the reason her grades are suffering, because of your ignorance, IT WILL BE ON YOUR HEAD!"

He slammed down the phone.

Chihiro's mother stood.

"I guess we'd better find her and get her to school then."

He sighed… his features falling.

"M-Maybe we can give her the day off today. Minae, I think she's being bullied again. Maybe we ought to talk to her, and then we'll talk to the school… see if we can sort things out."

She nodded.

"Sounds like a plan. Let's get to the car honey… I hope she hasn't gone too far."

...

Chihiro was walking along the highway, her legs beginning to ache, her mouth becoming dry.

She stopped to look at her phone.

It was 10:05.

"Dammit! It's almost time to switch classes… I'll never make it. Dad's going to be pissed."

A mat black car with shaded windows pulled up.

The window rolled down to reveal a man with greasy brown hair, and a very much disheveled looking complexion. He wore a grey t-shirt with a few grease stains, and showed a smile that revealed somewhat crooked teeth.

"Hey girl, you look like you're in quite the hurry. Do you need a ride somewhere?"

I gave a big sigh of relief.

"Thank god! I was getting tired… Yeah, I was walking up to the Academy just north of here. Are you sure? I hope I'm not imposing…"

He gave a soft laugh.

"No, not at all! It's no trouble… Why don't you come on in and I'll make sure you get where you need to be."

I nodded.

"Thank you so much!"

I stepped into the car, and closed the door behind me…

The doors locked, and I began to get this uneasy feeling.

"Hey… maybe I should just—"

The man held me down, holding a foul smelling rag to my face.

All I remember was his twisted smile and soft, sick laugh as my world faded into blackness…

...

Chihiro's parents had passed the bus-stop, and had checked all of the surrounding streets.

Chihiro's father was panicking.

"You don't think she took the highway, do you Minae!? God, she could get hit by a car, mugged by some drifter! Not to mention—!"

"Hiroki please stop!" Minae exclaimed.

"She might have taken the highway, that's a thought. The more time we spend panicking, the less likely it is that we'll find her."

He nodded.

"You're right. Come on, let's keep looking."

Minae's cell phone began to ring.

She answered.

"Hello…? Who is this?"

She was silent, her face went pale.

"What? What is it Minae!?" Hiroki exclaimed.

She took a moment before speaking.

"What did the car look like? Did you get a license plate number?"

"Please tell me what's happening!" Hiroki pleaded.

"Thank you for letting us know." She said, her voice monotone.

…She slowly lowered the phone to her side, she was visibly shaking.

"She was seen on the highway walking into a black ford contour with an older man as the driver. It was suspected that there was a struggle in the car… The police have already been called, one of the parents of a student saw this while driving his own kid to school. We just finished talking,"

Hiroki sat there speechless, and unable to move…

He had a really bad feeling about this.

Something about this felt inevitable, as if she was being pulled toward a gruesome fate at flying speeds…

…He hoped to god that he was wrong.

...

I was still as I felt the world come back to me.

I felt my eyes flit open, and I looked out of the tinted window.

The sun was setting now, and we were driving on an unfamiliar cliff side.

I bet dad was worried…

The man shifted, and I quickly closed my eyes again as the he turned his head.  
"Still sleeping my little dove?" He said as he cooed and pet my head.

I felt a cold shiver lurch down my spine.

"Well, just in case you're not..." I heard the car swerve, and I smelled the foul fabric coming closer to my face.

I lifted my leg and landed a blow on his head.

He slumped over to the side, and I could see the cliff drawing nearer.

I tried to stop its course, but it was no use.  
Now I felt my heart sink for real…

And this time?

There was no waking up.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Lost

The world was a blur...

I wasn't quite sure where I was, or what was happening. was I dreaming?

I quickly realized that I was outside, and that I was recently in danger. I sat up, and saw that I was surrounded by trees. It seemed to warm for near winter, and the car and the man inside of it were nowhere to be found. where was I...? _My parents must be worried sick by now. Dad was right, I was nothing but spoiled._ now all I wanted was to be home. All I wanted to do was apologize and try harder, tell my mom and dad how much I love them.

"Hello?" I said aloud. no answer.

"Hello!? Is anybody there?" Still no answer.

I felt tears spill out of my eyes as I started to sob. "Please! Someone has to be out there!" Dead silence.

It was dark, and there was no way I could find my way home right now. I laid my head on the solid ground and tried to close my eyes. I can't find my way out of here if I'm exhausted. the sounds of the forest made the sleep I got restless through the night...

I could feel the sun of morning on my face, a slight breeze, and... something was poking my back. _It was probably a branch or something._ I thought. Then I felt something poke my forehead. I opened my eyes, which were met by a pair of bright green eyes staring back at me. I jumped.

"Whoa! Who are you!?" I gasped.

she smiled cheerfully. "I'm Nina, are you lost too?" The girl looked roughly eight years old. she had long golden brown hair, pale skin, and wore a dark green dress with no shoes.

I sighed. "Yeah, I'm lost too." I felt my stomach growl as hunger pains started to surface.

She looked concerned. "You sound hungry... Hey! I know where we can get food!"

I nodded. "That would be great! So, where to?"

she pointed up. I looked up, confused at what she meant. then I saw it. At the top of a very tall tree there were large orange fruits all in a bundle.

"You want me to climb that!?" I exclaimed.

She smiled innocently. "Well, how else are we going to get up there?"

I gave a forlorn sigh. "Alright, be back in five."

I spent the first two tries attempting to find a foothold. Every time I would give a go at climbing this god-forsaken tree I would fall. well, two scrapes, three nasty blisters, and two humiliating falls later, I was finally making progress. I edged my way up this terrible tree, and the fruits were right in front of me now... just a little further...

I had almost managed to snag a fruit, when a certain Nina grew wings and snatched them all up.

I wasn't really shocked she had spawned just wings, no. at the moment I was pissed because I had just climbed that tree for nothing.

"What was that!?" I yelled.

"That? That was free entertainment." She laughed. "But I have to hand it to you, you're pretty tough. grit and determination will serve you well here."

I was suspicious of her now. "Wait, why do I have the feeling you aren't as young as you appear?"

She grinned. "Perceptive I see." Her form changed from that of a young girl, to a fully grown woman.

I edged my way down the tree. "So who are you really?" I asked.

"I already told you, I'm Nina." She said. "I have a camp nearby, so help me carry some of this fruit."

My arms and legs were still jello from the miserable climb up the tree. "...Fine, I'll help you." I scooped up an armful of fruit and carried it back to her campsite. It was about a five minute walk. When we arrived at camp, a little girl who looked about four or five ran up to Nina and hugged her.

"Sissy! Sissy! You're home, I missed you."

Nina smiled warmly. "I missed you too Haruka."

Haruka looked at me and beamed. "Sissy, you brought a friend!? Will she stay for lunch?"

Nina laughed. "Yes, she will be staying with us for a little while."

Haruka threw her arms up. "Yay! I'll go right now and get some water ready. I'll be back when I'm done!" and like that she was off.

"Does she always do that?" I asked.

Nina smiled. "Yes, she really does."

we sat down next to the fire. It was so warm, and oddly enough, it reminded me of my room at home, with the warm electric heater. that blue house had really become a home to me... and now I might never see it again.

"So how old are you?" Nina asked.

I shrugged. "Oh, me? I'm sixteen. Why?"

"Wow... you're so young." She said sadly.

"And how old are you?" I asked.

She sighed. "Oh, only about six thousand, give or take a hundred years."

I gaped. "ONLY six thousand!?"

She groaned. "I know, pathetic right?"

"Trust me, I didn't mean it that way." I said.

she shook her head. "It's okay. you don't have to apologize, it's true."

I smacked my palm to my face. "Okay then..."

"So, where were you from?" She asked.

"I live in a nice blue house near Nesshin'na Academy. Me, my mom, and my dad live there together." I felt depression sink in as I spoke.

"But now I might not get to tell them I love them again... I left the house so angry yesterday, and I wish I could apologize to them and tell them I'm okay. All I ever did was complain! I'm sorry!" Nina put a hand on my shoulder as I cried.

"I'm sure they wouldn't want you to down on yourself, It will all be-" We heard Haruka scream in the distance.

"Was that Haruka!?" I said.

Nina stood. "I think so! I heard it from over here."

I followed her as we frantically searched for Haruka. our venture brought us to a clearing near a pond, and Haruka was standing in front of it staring at us blank faced.

"We found her." I said with relief.

Nina froze. "You need to run." she said.

"What are you talking about? she's-"

Nina cut me off. "Get out of here NOW!"

By the time she said it, it was already too late. Haruka changed from a small girl to a vicious beast, and pounced on me, knocking me to the ground. I remembered the sharp pain of the Metallic claws in my back as I lost consciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: A Brutal Beginning

I awoke in a dimly lit room with hard stone floors. The room was cold, and I could see my breath. One of the many thoughts that were running through my head was, how many times has this happened today!? Come on God, throw me a bone! I tried to move, and my back was shooting with pain. Not only that, but I was chained to the floor by my ankle. Wow, classic dungeon scene. Real nice God, real nice. After my recent experience with this shit, I may become a pagan. Gods help me.

I heard a familiar voice in the next room, it was Nina's.

"Where is she!?" she yelled menacingly. "Where is my sister!?"

A man in the room laughed coldly. "Oh, don't worry... You'll see her soon enough... In fact, why don't we bring the little tot in right now!"

The door opened and I heard Haruka sobbing.

"S-Sissy! Help! Don't let them hurt me anymore!"

I heard Nina's voice crack. "Haruka? Haruka! What have you done to her you bastards!"

The man burst out laughing. "Trust me, you haven't seen anything yet."

I heard Haruka begin to cry and scream.

"Haruka! I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!" Nina began to sob, and so did I. I was so helpless right now... Or was I?

I saw the vent on the wall, it connected to the room Nina was in. I kicked the vent and dealt with the pain it caused my back. "Hey! Why don't you fugly ass hats pick on someone your own size!"

The man yelled in the next room. "I'll shut you up cow! You stay right there little girl!"

I heard the door slam behind him. "Okay Haruka, is there a key in the room your in? Try to unchain Nina and get out of here. Can you do that?"

"Yeah!" she said franticly.

I heard her fumbling around with keys. Nina and her seemed to walk quietly out of the room... Then my door flew open.

"So you think you're tough, that it?" he said as his face got close to mine. His breath smelled of old cigars and garlic.

"I'm tough enough, I said with gritted teeth. Though my trembling body proved me wrong. He stared at me and stroked my face with his hand.

"Hey... You a virgin cutie?"

I trembled more as I tried to pull away. He gave a twisted half cocked smile.

"Thought so!"

He tried to get under my skirt, I kicked him in the ribs. He coughed, and then looked livid. "Is that all bitch!?" he began to repeatedly kick me in the ribs until I coughed up blood.

"There, now be a good little wench and it will all be over soon."

He laid on top of me. He was heavy, and uncomfortable. I was too weak now to stop him from hurting me. He thrusted into me with force and dominance, as if I were some object to be dominated. I remember the pain, the worthless pit in my heart. Then he held a knife to my throat.

"You ready to die yet wench?" he whispered.

I wasn't.

I felt a plethora of energy build up inside of me, it built at my core, then exploded.

The whole building was gone. All I saw around me were ashes and rubble, fire surrounded the premises. I stumbled aimlessly away from the building. Was I going to die? How far could my legs really carry me?

"Who's there!" yelled a familiar voice.

I would have said something normally, but I was in too much of a haze to respond.

A figure appeared before me, and froze in front of me.

"Ch-Chihiro? Chihiro!"

I finally recognized him. "Haku...? Is that really you?" I felt a tear slip down my face, and heard Haku calling my name in the darkness.

Haku was trembling at the sight of Chihiro's maimed body. "Chihiro!? Chihiro wake up!" he was not only scared for her life, but puzzled by her presence. "How has she returned? This wasn't supposed to happen!"

He quickly spoke the incantation to heal humans. He spread his hands over the wounds... Nothing.

"What!? ...No, it works on all humans!"

He thought for a moment, He spoke the incantation for a spirit healing... It worked. His face became grave as he spoke.

"So she is no longer human..."

He held her close to him. "I am so sorry Chihiro, I could not protect you. I could not protect you from death."

He carried her to the boiler room at the bath house where kamachi often let Haku have refuge in the past. She was not fully healed from her wounds and needed rest.

He opened the sliding door to the room.

"Haku...? I haven't seen you in- is that Sen!?"

Haku looked down. "Her name is Chihiro, and yes, this is her."

Kamachi's eyes were wide with shock. "Is she hurt, what's going on!?"

"Well, she-"

Linn came walking in the room, angry as usual.

"Old man! How many times have I told you-" she dropped the bowl she was holding. Soup and shards of glass scattered across the room. "Is that Sen!? Or have I had too much to drink again."

Haku sighed. "Her real name is Chihiro, and yes, that's her."

Linn grimaced. "Damn, what did she do? Pick a fight with a lawnmower and lose?"

Kamachi peered at her wounds. "From the looks of it, she picked a fight with a hell hound and lost."

Linn gaped. "Wha...? A hell hound!? You know, the more I get involved with you two the more I regret my life choices."

Kamachi smiled. "Well my dear, you don't seem to need much of my help for that."

Her eye twitched. "Why you-!" She sniffed the air. "Wait, why don't I smell human?

Haku's face fell. "That is because there are no humans here, Chihiro is a spirit Now."

Linn froze. "You mean she...? Oh Haku, I am so sorry."

He sighed. "It's fine. I am honestly more worried about her right now."

Linn frowned. "Yeah, me too. Well, I'm gonna head to bed for now. I'll be back in the morning to check on her."

Haku nodded, and Linn left the room.

He layed her on a soft pad that she had once laid him on so long ago. Things were different now than they were before. But in all truth? He had no idea the calamity of what was to come.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Haku's Resolve

It was warm, I was covered by soft woolen blanket. I opened my eyes and realized I was in the boiler room. I felt depression sink in as I became lost in my own thoughts.

 _How could I just let that happen? Why couldn't I stop him? Maybe he's right after all and I am just a pathetic wench!_

I heard the sliding door open. I looked over, it was Haku.

"Oh, you're up. Do you want some breakfast?"

I tried to sit up, but I was still weak and became light headed.

"Be still." He said kindly. "And eat this, you need to replenish you're strength."

He handed me a dumpling, but I was honestly so depressed I wasn't sure if I wanted to eat.

"No thanks, I'm not hungry." I said.

"Nonsense, you need to eat." He said.

"I will later." I said stubbornly.

He was persistent. "Chihiro you have been asleep for two days and haven't eaten. I can't leave until you eat."

"I promise, I will later." I said with irritation.

"Eat." He said frustrated. "I can't stand by while you starve yourself."

"Well then don't stand by! Nobody asked you too!"

...I caught myself. Haku wasn't my enemy, he was my dear friend and he saved my life. I looked away from him as tears filled my eyes.

"I'm sorry, I... didn't mean that."

He walked over to me and crouched down beside me.

"No Chihiro, it's alright. I just don't want to see you hurt yourself." He put a hand on my shoulder. I picked up the dumpling and ate it, I was very hungry.

More thoughts ran through my head.

 _What about Nina and Haruka? I hope they didn't die in the explosion... an explosion I caused. If I wouldn't have shown up, Haruka May have not left for the pond that day and they would both be alive and safe. I killed them, I deserve this!_

I began to sob. "It's my fault... It's all my fault!" He looked at me with concern.

"How is any of this you're fault?"

I didn't respond, I just kept on crying.

He put a hand on my forehead. "Here, let me see."

"Haku, don't!" I yelled. But it was too late, he was already in my mind.

He was trembling and shaking. He opened his eyes, and tears flowed steadily out of mine.

"I'm sorry!" I sobbed. He pulled me in close.

"Please! Don't be sorry, it's not your fault... None of it!"

He trembled as he held me. I burried my face into his chest and wailed, and he held me there until I fell asleep again.

Haku wouldn't move, or rather, he couldn't. Kamachi walked into the boiler room.

"I'm back from break." He said. Haku nodded, but remained silent.

"Haku, are you alright?" He stayed silent. Agony was pressing behind his eyes like two boulders on a thin glass floor. Kamachi came over to Haku and put a hand on his shoulder.

Haku faltered, and the tears and words came crashing down.

"She blames herself, but it's my fault! How could I let this happen!? I was supposed to protect her Kamachi! They did terrible things to her, and I wasn't there!"

Kamachi looked confused. "Just calm down and tell me what happened." He said.

"That's for her to say, but I can say this. What they didto Chihiro was unforgivable... it's my fault it happened."

"No, it's not." Kamachi said plainly. "It's just a bad situation, it doesn't seem to be anyone's fault."

Haku continued to sob, and for the first time, he was able to release his pain.

I opened my eyes... it was dark, and everyone was asleep. My eyes adjusted to the dark, and I saw Haku leaning against a wall.

"Haku? Are you okay?" I asked.

He looked up. "Yes Chihiro, I'm okay." He said softly.

I sat up. "No you're not."

"I'd better go." He said. "Get some sleep." He began to walk away.

"No, don't leave." I said.

He stopped. "Chihiro I-"

"Please." I said, cutting him off. "Don't leave me."

He paused for a moment. "Very well." He walked over to me and sat next to me.

I looked at him, and suddenly became lost in his eyes. My heart was pounding in my chest...

"Chihiro, try too-" I kissed him. Then I realized what I did.

"I'm sorry, I-" He kissed me.

"Don't be sorry..."

His lips brushed against mine, softly at first. He drew me close to him, his hands sliding down my waist. He laid on top of me, he was gentle, comfortable. He kissed me passionately.

I loved the way he whispered my name...

The way he made me feel...

And how he held me, kissing me until I fell asleep.

It was early. Kamachi was half asleep, dozing off again. He noticed something in the corner of his eye, he looked over. Chihiro was sleeping, wrapped in Haku's arms. They were both under the covers, sound asleep, and both seemingly unclothed. He laughed to himself.

"So she got you to stay, eh Haku?"

He smiled a little, and went back to sleep.

I felt Haku's lips on mine, and opened my eyes. He smiled.

"Good morning." I said, I felt a warm smile cross my lips.

"Good morning you two!" Said Kamachi. We both sat up.

"Kamachi!?...uhm... You didn't, I mean, we didn't... Um..."

Haku was beet red as he stuttered.

"Don't you mean, good afternoon? It's like twelve thirty guys." Said Linn from behind us. Now I was red.

"Wow Haku! Are you blushing? Hey...? Is that Sen!?" It was the frog. The frog!? What was he doing here!? I hid my head under the covers as if I could shield myself from further embarrassment.

"It IS Sen! Hi Sen! Why are you hiding like that?" He said.

"You dope! Her name's Chihiro, and it's none of your damn business!" Linn yelled.

"Linn, why do you have to be so mean?" He whined.

She laughed. "Mean!? You haven't even mean seen mean yet, frog boy!"

I was done. "Both of you get out! Can't you see I'm not dressed!? I can't get dressed with you two bickering like a bunch of fools!"

They stopped and stared at me. "You're scary." They said in sinc.

"Linn...? Why is Sen not dressed?" Whispered the frog very loudly.

"Out!" I yelled. And out they went. I looked at Haku who was staring at me in shock. "I'm... going to get us some lunch. Yeah... bye." He got dressed and left the room.

"You have certainly gained a presence since you left, eh Chihiro?" Kamachi commented.

"Please stay turned around." I said.

"No problem!" He said with a laugh.

I looked at my former clothes and gave a mournful sigh. They were totalled.

"There are some clothes in the bottom drawer furthest to the right If you're interested." Kamachi offered.

I walked over and opened the drawer. There were mostly uniform shirts and pants, but one thing stuck out to me. It was a black kimono with colorful flowers in its design. I took it and tried it on. It looked good on me.

"Thank you Kamachi." I said as I left through the back door. I took a stroll through the garden. I walked past the pig pens, which still held many pigs.

 _Poor pigs... they were once human too._ I thought to myself.

I walked past the pens and saw a pond. It was so clear, so serene, you could see the bottom of it. I reached out to touch it, entranced by its beauty... Then I fell in.

I realized quickly that I could breath, but I felt strange. I looked at my hands... they were Finns!

I looked back and saw nolegs, but a tail!? Had I been turned into a fish!?

I heard Haku calling my name in the distance. "Chihiro? Where are you!?"

I stuck my head out of the water. "In the pond! Come quick!"

He ran over and looked inside of the pond. "Chihiro...?"

"It's me! The fish!" I wailed.

Haku froze, then broke out into laughter.

"A Coyfish!? Your form is a Coyfish!?" He continued to laugh.

"Just get me out of here!" I yelled.

He walked over to me and picked me up.

"Origins of water, return her form." I was back.

"What was that!?" I exclaimed.

He smiled. "No need to worry, you just changed forms. It happens to spirits all the time."

I froze. "But wait, I'm human, right?"

His face turned grave. "Haku...?"

He began to walk towards me. I backed away, then I ran. I ran through the market and down the steps. The field was right there! I could put all of this behind me, go back to my parents and-

My arm was the first to go through the barrier. A surge of excruciating pain shot through it. I pulled back and screamed in agony.

Haku caught up with me.

"Chihiro! Are you okay!? Are you hurt!?"

I was shaking uncontrollably. My arm, which hung limply at my side, was in constant pain.

"It hurts! Make it stop!" I wailed.

He grabbed my arm. "Heal her." He said.

The worst pain I had ever experienced sites through my body all at once, and I was out.

...It seemed I was only out for a few minutes this time.

"Are you okay?" He said coldly.

"I'm fine." I said. He nodded.

"Haku I-"

"Don't!" He said, cutting me off.

"Haku please!" I exclaimed.

"What were you thinking!?" He yelled. "You act like running away will solve all of your problems! You're so selfish!"

I had that coming... he was right.

"You're right." I said. "I'm a spoiled, reckless coward..."

I began to tremble. "I can't do one thing without screwing up, not save Nina and Haruka, not myself... No one."

Haku wrapped his arms around me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean a word of it! Chihiro, you are the most brave and selfless person I know... You scared me, I thought I was going to lose you. You are so precious to me, please don't do that to me again... I would be nothing if I lost you."

He began to sob softly. I hadn't realized how much pain I had caused him.

"Oh Haku... You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I'll stay out of trouble, I promise."

I leaned in and kissed him, and he kissed me with a passion I didn't know he possessed. I fell deep into his love like a spell.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: A Reckoning Wager

We were sitting near the pond watching the sun set. It's weird how the sky can look so different in the spirit world around this time. The colors blend in a captivating scene of light, and I am peaceful. Haku stared off at the scenery, the most blissful look in his eyes. They change from peace to a sorrowful look as time passes.

"Hey Chihiro? I have a question." He asked.

"What is it?" I asked.

"How did you... die?" he seemed to hesitate on the word 'die'.

"I... Got into a car with a guy I shouldn't have."

His eyes went wide. "You mean you were... Murdered?"

I shook my head. "No, nothing like that. I-"

"You kicked me in the fucking head, we crashed and burned... And here we are."

I turned around to see him, face to face with the reason I was dead. He was different now...

His form was shrouded in shadows, eyes blood red, teeth like jagged razor blades, his mouth twisted in a wicked smile.

"But it doesn't matter now. Now I have power... Now I have skills beyond my wildest dreams... Now YOU will truly DIE!"

He shot a bolt of dark energy at my heart, but it bounced off of the kimono I was wearing and the flowers flashed brightly, temporarily blinding the evil spirit.

Meanwhile, a certain witch flew overhead. Checking the disturbances of her bath house. She landed between us and the spirit.

"What are one of these idiots doing here!?" she yelled.

"Oh never mind, I'll take it from here!" She began to build an immense amount of energy.

Haku grabbed my hand. "We need to run NOW!"

He ran faster than I had ever seen anyone run. We made it to the boiler room and locked the door behind us. Kamachi sensed our panic. "What happened now!?" he exclaimed.

Haku took a moment to catch his breath.

"Tainted spirit... In the garden... That's what!"

Kamachi stood. "Is it headed this way!?"

"No, thankfully Yubaba got it." I said.

We heard a harsh knock on the door.

"Open this door now!" yelled Yubaba angrily.

I opened it. She came in, a raging fire in her eyes.

"Who led them here!? Answer me!"

Haku spoke up. "It was me, I led them here."

Yubaba lifted him up by his shirt. "Then I'll just have to punish you won't I?"

What!? What was he doing!? No, I would not let her hurt him.

"Stop right there! It... It was me. The spirit was after me, so I led it here."

Haku gaped at me. "Chihiro! What are you doing!?"

Yubaba cackled coldly. "Aww, how sweet. She's in love. You do realize I could just punish you both... However, I am impressed by your bold honesty, so lets make a deal."

I eyed her suspiciously. "What's the deal?" I asked.

She gave a wide grin. "If you can beat me in a duel, you and Haku are free to go. If you lose, you must serve me as my apprentice."

I nodded. "You have a deal."

Her grin broadened. "Good choice. Meet me at the bridge, and we will begin our duel."

And with that she left the room. Haku grabbed my shoulders, his hands were shaking.

"What have you done!?" he wailed.

"The same thing you would have done for me." I said calmly.

"You can't do this... This is crazy." he said softly.

"I know." I said. "But that doesn't mean it isn't possible."

I kissed him. "I have to go Haku, I love you."

I saw tears brimming in his eyes as I left for the bridge.

Yubaba stood on one side of the bridge, I on the other.

"Are you ready!?" she yelled.

"As ready as I'll ever be!" I said.

"Then let's begin shall we?"

She formed a solid ball of light and hurled it at me. I dodged it. She kept on throwing them out faster and faster. They were getting harder to avoid, and I was on the defensive. It was like she was stringing me along as a game. I felt energy build up within me.

I snapped.

I let out the energy in a large burst, and directed it at Yubaba. She was gone.

I let myself relax. "Well, that wasn't so bad."

I sensed a presence behind me.

"Good job." she said. "But not good enough!"

I turned around in enough time to be mind blasted with magic.

I was out... and Yubaba had won.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Trials of Strength

I awoke in a familiar room, Yubaba was staring me down with her bulbous eyes.

"I can see you have awoken... Good."

I moaned. "Alright, you win. Where's my contract?"

She grinned devilishly. "You don't need one. Our battle was the contract, your loss the signature."

"So what now?" I asked.

She laughed. "Straight to the point then? I like that."

She looked at me, there was a red flash in her eyes that sent a horrible sharp pain in my head. After the pain ceased, I realized I knew my way around the entire upper floor.

She pointed to the heads. "You three! Take her to the training room for training."

Then she looked at me. "Oh, and welcome back Sen."

The three heads started to bounce in the direction of the training room, I followed them. One of the heads opened the door to the room. It was a small and plain room with no wall decorations and a concrete floor. I walked in and the door shut behind me. The three heads changed from their usual forms to three well armed warriors. All three of them looked alike besides a variation of color in their eyes. One had blue eyes, another had green eyes, and the other had red eyes.

"I am Kahn." Said the blue eyed one.

"I'm Kuhn." said the green eyed one.

"Call me Kaihn." Said the red eyed one with a smirk.

"Your training begins now!" they said in sinc.

The room around me disappeared and turned into a small sized sparing room. All of the warriors disappeared but Kuhn.

"I'll be training you in close combat, and in this training session there are two rules. Rule one, you have to beat me three times in a row to pass. Rule two, in the world of close combat, there are no rules. Shall we start?"

I nodded. We took a bow, and the battle began.

I ran towards him as fast as I could and prepared to knock his lights out. He side stepped me and snapped my neck.

I reappeared on my side. "What just happened!?" I exclaimed.

"One for me." He stated with amusement.

He bowed, then I bowed. I was going to get him this time. I ran up to him and attempted to feign a punch and go for a kick. He tripped me and stepped on my throat.

I reappeared like the last time.

"Two for me." He said with a smile.

We bowed, and I thought I would try to wing it. I went for a jump and tackle, but he launched me in the air with a kick and threw a kunai knife at my head.

I reappeared. "Ow! Son of a bitch that hurt!"

He had a look of sheer amusement on his face.

We bow, another skull rapage from a knife to the face.

We bow, he shanks me in the neck.

We bow, he kicks me in the air and I die from head trauma... Lovely.

We bowed... Then I tried just standing there like he was. Wasn't that how all of these martial arts experts won in movies was just standing there and waiting for the fool to strike first. There was one problem though, he was standing there too. He had this amused smile on his face, all the while staying focused. I glanced out of the window, the scenery was so intense, I could hardly believe it wasn't real...

I felt a knife sink into the side of my head. Then reappeared again.

Now I was pissed. He bowed, and I saw my chance to strike. I ran towards him. He looked up, grabbed my arm, and bent it back. He did the same with the left arm, then proceeded to break both of my legs and all of my ribs. He held a knife to my throat.

"Learn anything?" he said angrily.

"Don't attack you... while you're bowing..." I said between bloody breaths.

"Or anyone who gives you such honor." he said, slitting my throat and ending the round.

"I'm sorry." I said softly.

He glared. " Your apologies will get you nowhere Sen. Your two hour break begins now, use it as you will."

And with that he left the room.

I felt bad, and wanted to make it up to Kuhn. I had wronged him, and I knew it. I looked over at the rack on Kuhn's side of the mat, and there were his knives hanging off of them next to a knife sharpener. I decided to use my break to sharpen his knives. He didn't need my apologies, but my respect.

I went over too the rack and examined the knives.

They were all dull and multiple knives were covered in my blood from today's training session. I used my shirt to clean off the blood, then I sharpened the knives to perfection. I tested their sharpness by pricking my finger.

I then stood on my side for the last ten minutes and waited for Kuhn to show back up.

He walked in the room, making no eye contact.

"Let's start training." he said coldly.

He walked over to the knife rack and examined one of his knives. He gave a small, half cocked smile.

He looked at me. "You are really going to hate the next twenty two hours."

I gaped. Twenty two hours!? What have I gotten myself into?


	7. Chapter 7

****To all of the followers and fans I have... which would be one. I will also say this to all readers who enjoy my story if any do. I am so sorry I haven't posted in a while. I will try to keep up on it now.****

Chapter 7: Observation Skills

I felt the cold metal of the sharpened knife sink into my neck. I collapsed on the ground in front of him, and then reappeared in my spot again.

"Ow that freaking hurt!" I exclaimed, rubbing the spot on my neck where the knife was.

He smiled. "Well you said you were tired of having knives thrown at your head, so I thought that I'd mix things up a little."

I grinned. "Oh Kuhn, always finding new and innovative ways to kill me."

He gave a flamboyant gesture. "Why thank you, I try!"

I stopped and thought for a moment. It was true that every time he killed me, it was in a slightly different manner than the last time. Maybe it wasn't about figuring out a way around him. Maybe I needed to figure him out.

I had a plan this time, but it would involve a lot of dying.

"Are you ready for the next match?" He asked.

I smiled. "As ready as I'll ever be."

In the course of countless rounds, I observed Kuhn and his strategies. I saw how he flicked his wrist as he threw his knife. I noticed the different stances he used for each different attack. I learned how to hit pressure points that stop you in your tracks, places on the spine that when hit cause extreme pain, paralyzation, and instant death. I ran up to him, wondering what he'd do next. He grabbed my head, and snapped my neck. He was repeating moves.

He feigned a yawn. "Come on Sen! You're practically handing me wins."

I smirked. "Yeah, so what's the deal? Are you going to kill me again or what?"

He grinned. "Ah, I see. There's a method this madness."

We bowed. This was it no more messing around.

I ran toward him with grace in my step. He tried to throw a knife at me, but I side stepped him, and gave a high kick at his throat.

He fell backwards, and blood streamed out of his mouth as he faded away.

I felt sick to my stomach. I beat him, I finally beat him! Why wasn't it as satisfying as I imagined?

He reappeared before me. He was smiling. "Good work today, your two hour break begins now. Use it wisely."

I froze. "Is that it...?" I said softly.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Is that ALL!?" I yelled.

My knees finally gave in as I fell to the ground. I was so tired, and very frustrated. I tried, and failed to hold back sobs.

Kuhn knelt down next to me. "You did well." He said.

"At what? Killing you? Yeah, I feel like a real champ." I was bitter with myself. It seems strange but I started to consider Kuhn a friend. Killing him felt horrible.

He sighed. "I'm not going to lie, it really sucks."

"But it gets better right?" I said bitterly.

He looked down. "No, it really doesn't..."

He put a hand on my forehead. "Your two hour break begins now, sleep well Chihiro."

I immediately fell asleep. After that day, I never saw Kuhn the same way.

I felt someone shake my shoulder. "Hey, it's time to train again. Wake up."

I sat up feeling groggy. Then I stood, knowing I couldn't sit all day. God knows I wanted to.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

I smirked. "Like I was killed at least a thousand times in the course of twenty two hours, sleeping on a wooden floor for the last two. So all in all, not terrible."

He laughed. "That's the spirit! I warn you though, this time I won't be defeated so easily."

I smiled as we bowed. "I was expecting as much."

I ran up to him and went for a body shot with a high kick. He side stepped me, and tried to grab my leg. I quickly pulled back and and tried to hit a pressure point at his side. He blocked me and mimicked my move. At this rate, I would get tired and he would win. I had to end this fast.

A gave him a hard kick to the groin, and he doubled over in pain. I then kicked him in the head, knocking it back and breaking his neck. I looked away as he disappeared, it wasn't as bad that way, but I was still queasy.

He reappeared. "That was a cheap shot." He grimaced.

I smiled innocently. "I was just following rule number two."

He grinned. "Very good. Shall we try again?"

I shrugged. "I don't see why not."

We bowed, I had a really good idea this time.

I distracted him with easy to block moves, continuing to block his with one hand. My other hand was free, so I could put my plan into action. When I was finished, I slid back. He reached for his knives, but found none. In his confusion, I was able to hurl a knife at his head, killing him instantly.

He reappeared in front of me. He looked proud.

I looked at him, and we both began to laugh.

"Man, I don't know if I can beat you a third time! I'll give it a shot though. Round three?"

He smiled warmly. "Chihiro, that was round three. You've passed."

"Aren't you supposed to call me Sen?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Not when it's just us. I'll call you Chihiro, and I won't have you forget it."

He bowed. "It was an honor training you Chihiro."

The training room disappeared, and the room became very large. I was now in a dark forest, Kahn was in front of me. His stare was cold and calculating.

"In this section of your training, you will learn ranged combat and stealth. You will have to kill me free of detection in order to pass. The rest you will discover on your own soon enough."

I looked around at where I was. I knew I was going to hate this. The forest was something you didn't get used to.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Trial of shadows

Kahn was hiding somewhere in this forest... I knew he was going to try to kill me again. I discovered a few things about this training. That habit I have of talking to myself as a source of comfort? Yeah, that gets you killed. The sunlight here seems to dissolve my body, hindering any progress I've made.

I was completely terrified, and not because I would die. It was the concept of dying. The fact that it could be waiting at any corner, past any tree. Kahn could be waiting for me right now, or maybe he already sees me. Maybe he's just waiting until I'm easiest to strike.

I stepped on a twig, and heard it snap. I froze, hoping Kahn wouldn't notice me. My hopes were false. I felt an arrow pierce the back of my skull. I reappeared where I started again. Initially it wasn't so bad when I first reappeared. I wasn't as scared. It was when I started walking around that my paranoia steadily rose. I hid by the dark side of a tree. Maybe if I couldn't find Kahn by outright looking for him, I could wait for him to pass me instead.

I waited for awhile, attempting to sharpen sticks with this jagged rock I found... damn, I was really scraping the bottom if the barrel.

I felt a knife sink into the top of my skull. He was hiding up in that tree!?

If I hid, he killed me. If I ran, he killed me. If I happened to run into him, he'd hide again and shoot me with an arrow. Obviously I couldn't stand still. Was there anything I could do to not die!?

I heard another twig snap under my foot.

"Damn you!" I screamed. "This is all just some chess game to you isn't it!?"

He appeared behind me, a knife held at my throat.

"Life is much like a chess game... Don't you agree?" He slit my throat. I heard his voice in my head as I reappeared.

"Your two hour break has begun. Use it as you will.

There was something very off about Kahn. Something that chilled me to my core. It felt like a hollow emptiness resonated from his being.

I tried to push these thoughts out of my head as I fell asleep.

I awoke to Kahn at my throat with a knife. He slit my throat, and I appeared at my starting spot.

I guess that's how the alarm system works in the forest.

"Good morning to you too..." I grumbled. An arrow pierced my skull. I got the message. Maybe that's how he greets people? He must not have many friends.

I wandered around for the second day, trying to dodge branches so I could make less noise. I still got the occasional knife to the face, but not as often as yesterday. I call this progress. I tried focusing on making as little noise as possible. It seemed to work fairly well, as Kahn only found me half of the time now.

I was wandering again, surprising myself at how quiet I could be. I saw markings on the ground in front of me. They were footprints, and not my own. Kahn was probably staked out ahead. I decided to go in the general direction of the footprints, but not follow them directly.

Then I saw him. He was hidden behind a tree, his bow readied. I walked toward him with my sharp stick...

He looked over, and jumped into the trees. I felt an arrow or two pierce my throat. I take it he really doesn't like being found.

I heard his voice in my head again.

"Your two hour break has begun, do as you will."

I was about to rest my eyes, when I saw a slight flicker in the distance. I wasn't sure what it was, but it was worth checking out. It's not like I get good sleep here anyway.

I walked for a little while, then hushed my steps as I neared the source of the light. There was a campfire, and Kahn was sleeping near it under a small shelter. He had a knife close to his hand, but he wasn't holding it. I walked around the campfire, fearing it's light would end only demise. I stayed in the shaded part of the tent. I slowly reached for his knife, and grabbed it. I heard it scrape lacrosse the ground, apparently so did he.

He sat up immediately, and looked behind the tent. I quickly rolled behind a nearby tree. My heart was pounding in my chest. What would happen if he found me? There was no rule against this was there? I hope not.

I took a sideways glance and saw Kahn looking near my location. He didn't see me. He turned his head and looked in the other direction. I only had one shot, better make this one count. I threw the knife, and watched it sink into the back of his head. He collapsed, and disappeared.

He reappeared next to me.

"You have passed, and in record breaking time." He said.

He stood and gave me a bow. "Farewell..." He said. I swear before he left, I saw the hint of a smile.

The room changed into something small with concrete floors and metal walls. Kaihn was in front of me, he gestured to a metal chair at the center of the room.

"Take a seat." He said.

I did. I felt straps tie my arms, legs, head, and torso down to the chair.

His face became very close to mine.

"There is one rule in this room. Don't scream, and you pass."

I suddenly wished that I was back in the dark forest.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Trials of Pain

He walked over to me, and held my left hand.

"You have such beautiful hands..."

He grabbed my little finger, and bent it back. I clenched my teeth and felt hot tears sting my eyes. He finished off the left hand, I hadn't screamed.

His face came close to mine. "And such lovely eyes..."

He had a scalpel in his right hand, and held my right eye open with his left.

I screamed as the scalpel went in. I couldn't help it.

I screamed as he dug out my eyes, skinned my upper body starting with the broken hand. He sawed of my nose and ears, and was about to cut out my tongue, then someone walked in.

"Enough! You are five fifteen minutes into her break!"

I heard Kaihn laugh. "Who's keeping track?"

He walked out, and everything was restored. Kuhn was knelt down in front of me. My bonds released, and I fell to the ground. I didn't want to get back up again. Kuhn laid on the ground next to me. He held my left hand, stroking it with his thumb. I leaned into him, and cried softly until I fell asleep.

I woke up to Kaihn kicking me in the side. "Get up." He said coldly.

I didn't move, petrified by fear.

He kicked me again. "Get up!"

I stood, my knees shaking, and walked over to the chair. I felt the straps tie me down as I sat.

"Are we ready to continue yesterday's activities?" He asked. A malicious grin crossed his lips.

"You really are a horrible person Kaihn, I hope you're proud of that."

He stabbed the scalpel into my hand and laughed maniacally.

"You know? I really am aren't I!?"

My hand was a pulp by the time he was done. He was breaking more bones this time, which wasn't as effective in getting me to break my composure. It seemed to frustrate him.

He pulled out a drill, and proceeded to drill out all of my teeth. It took all I had not to scream.

He was angry now. He dug out my eyes and my inner ears. I could no longer see anything coming, so I screamed as he continued. I could sort of hear, but barely. All that seemed to come through was a mumble of words, and Kaihn's maniacal laughter.

I heard what I thought might be the sound of a door slamming, and yelling.

Kuhn was there, I think. He seemed to be yelling at Kaihn. I heard a few things surface, like Kuhn yelling about my break. I heard the words "past break." and "no more."

I had realized now that Kaihn had gone way past my break. There was no way I was going to pass if he did that. I was angry, I felt power build up within me. My body became restored on its own, and my energy became dark. Usually when this happened, it exploded out of me, like the last time. But this time it had evolved into something much more sinister.

"Kaihn, you sick bastard! What pleasure can you find in this!?"

Kaihn shrugged. "It's just a hobby, nothing to serious."

Kuhn looked infuriated.

I began to laugh softly, feeling the binds dissolve around me. Kuhn and Kaihn both turned to face me. Kuhn froze, and Kaihn backed up slowly. I walked over to Kaihn, and kicked him in the face.

"Look who's been naughty..." I said. A cold amusement filled me up with this sick satisfaction.

A muttered an incantation that I shouldn't have known. Kaihn's form was consumed in shadows as clawing hands dragged him under.

I collapsed when he was gone, laughing softly to myself.

Kahn walked in. "Where's Kaihn, what's going on in here?"

I grinned. "Kaihn had an unfortunate... accident." I looked at him, I still wasn't completely normal yet.

"Look at her eyes." Said Kuhn. "They're the color of blood."

I was finally out of that trance like stated and realized what I had done. I began to vomit profusely.

Kahn nodded. "I see... Your training is complete."

Kuhn helped stand me up. "Come on Chihiro, we have to go."

We walked out of the training room, and went to Yubaba's office.

"Sen has fulfilled her training, Mistress Yubaba." Said Kuhn calmly.

"Then where is Kaihn? There are only two of you here." Yubaba was very suspicious.

Kahn spoke. "Kaihn had an unfortunate accident. Luckily, Sen had completed her training beforehand."

Yubaba sighed. "Damn, he was the best a that job... Oh well. Sen, you have your three day leave, now go."

I nodded, and left the room. Kahn had actually spoken on my behalf... I was grateful.

"Chihiro." Said a voice. I turned around, and saw Kahn.

"What is it?" I asked.

He handed me a rice ball. "Eat this, it will give you back your strength."

I took the rice ball. He bowed, then turned back into a head again, and left.

I looked at the rice ball. Where had I heard that before...?

I ate the rice ball, I was very hungry. I had three days to kill, so I walked back to the boiler room. Every one was sleeping, except for Haku. He looked up and saw me. He stood.

"Chihiro, is that you!?"

I walked past him and sat on the bed that was left out for me. It's not that I didn't miss Haku, I was just numb. I didn't know what to do about what I had just experienced, so I didn't do anything. Haku sat beside me.

"Chihiro, what happened? You can tell me."

I didn't want to talk about it, but he deserved to know.

"See for yourself." I said. "You would be the only one who would understand."

He placed his hand on my forehead, and closed his eyes. He began trembling.

When he opened his eyes, he quickly wrapped me in a hug. "I'm so sorry..." He said softly.

"I have failed you again and again... and I'm sorry."

I felt a familiar feeling of darkness wash over me... Why was this happening now? So soon after what happened with Kaihn.

He seemed to sense it, and looked at me. "Chihiro!? Are you okay?"

Kamachi woke up from all of the commotion, but was silenced by what he saw.

I stood, and a twisted grin formed on my lips. "You are a coward... You know it well. You will die a coward as well."

His face relaxed. "Chihiro... calm yourself." He said. "Look me in the eyes..."

I did. His eyes were like pools of serenity...

I was back. "I have to go!" I said, Haku restrained me.

"Let me go!" I yelled. He held me tighter.

"Please! I'll only hurt you if I stay..."

I went limp in his arms

"It'll be alright Chihiro... I'll make it okay, I promise..." His voice soothed me.

I let myself relax into him, feeling his healing warmth.


	10. Chapter 10

****Hey fans and readers, I've been writing a lot recently. I've passed my writers block and I'm having a bit of a manic moment. :) enjoy chapter ten, and if you have any suggestions let me know.****

Chapter 10: Little Things

I had calmed down now. I hadn't realized just how much I had missed Haku until I was able to be with him again.

"You should take her to your place Haku." Said Kamachi.

"She seems to need a break from the bath house."

Haku nodded. He stood and held me in his arms. "Hold on." He said.

He dashed out of the back door of the boiler room, running at disproportionate speeds. We raced past the garden and the pond. I held on for dear life as Haku started trotting across the water.

We came to a gradual slowing stop. "We're here." He said, setting me down.

I opened my eyes. Before us was a stone cottage, surrounded by a large island.

It was beautiful...

"I hope it's not too bland." He said.

He walked over to the door and opened it. "Come on in."

I walked in. "This is the stove, the table, and the bed. Nothing too extravagant, but it's home."

He smiled. "Now get some sleep, you've probably needed it."

I laid in the bed, Haku laid down next to me.

"I hope it's comfortable..." He said nervously.

"It's wonderful." I said. I felt a warm smile cross my lips.

"I love that about you..." He said softly.

"And what's that?" I asked.

"The way your eyes light up when you're happy." He said.

He pulled me in close to him, and we fell asleep.

I woke up before sunrise, Haku was still asleep. It seemed I had become accustomed to less sleep in the night, not that I was too surprised.

I felt my stomach growl.

I looked at the food he had available. I could manage something. I started by lighting a fire for the stove. I cooked two eggs in the cast iron pan available, put two each on a plate for us, then started on the meat.

"Chihiro...? How long have you been awake?" Asked Haku. He sounded very groggy.

"Since before sunrise." I said with indifference.

"You have only slept for a few hours." He said. He sniffed the air. "Are you making breakfast?" He asked.

"Yeah, I washed that pan too, so I could use it."

"Oh, alright." He said. Then he froze.

"Wait what!? You washed my pan!?"

I was confused. "Yeah, I didn't want all of the old stuff to get on the food."

"You don't just wash cast iron..." He groaned.

"Washing it like that could make it rust. That's my only pan Chihiro."

"I'm so sorry." I said.

"It's fine." He said with a mournful cringe.

I finished the meat. "Breakfast is ready." I said. We both sat down at the table, getting our plates.

He took a bite of the meat. He smiled. "That's fantastic!" He said. "Who taught you how to cook?"

I smiled sadly. "My dad and I used to cook together all the time... he taught me everything I know."

He looked at me. "You must really miss him." He said solemnly.

"I do, and he probably misses me too." I said. "However, if I hadn't died, I wouldn't be sitting here enjoying your company would I?"

He smiled. "No, I suppose not."

We finished our breakfast, and I was full. I had a lot of spare energy.

"Hey Haku, want to spar?" I asked.

He looked genuinely surprised. "You want to spar with me!?"

I smiled. "Yeah, is there a problem?"

He had a wild grin. "No problems, but are you ready to lose?"

"Are you?" I said.

He opened the door. "After you." He said.

We stood ten feet away from each other. "Are you ready?" He asked.

I nodded. We took a bow, and the fight was on.

We ran toward each other. He went for a pressure point, I side stepped him, and went for a kick.

He slid back. "So, I don't have to go easy then?"

I grinned. "Don't underestimate me." I went for a pressure point under his ribs, he phased behind me. I swung my foot out to trip him, he slid back. I turned around and tried to hit him, but he vanished...

I heard swift footsteps from behind. I turned around and caught his arm. I went to put him in a hold, he caught my other arm.

He had a fire to his eyes...

"Then it's a draw?" I asked.

He pulled me in and kissed me. I could feel the desire in his touch.

He leaned me against the wall of his house kissing me more passionately.

My finger pressed against his back, the feeling intensified. He lifted me up and carried me into the house. He set me on the bed, and laid comfortably on top of me.

"May I...?" He asked.

I brushed my lips against his neck. "What do you think?" I whispered.

He slipped my kimono off, and uncooked my bra. I practically ripped his shirt off.

He moaned as I kissed his chest, his breath becoming shallow.

He held me firmly against him. "Allow me..." He whispered. A seductive smile played on his lips. His lips were like heaven on my skin. I moaned as he nibbled at my ear, whispering my name. We were both completely unclothed. His skin felt good on mine. I felt blissful while I was with him... like nothing wrong in the world existed when we were here.

I embraced the bliss we shared as we held each other... this moment of peace.


	11. Chapter 11

****Hello readers, as of now I have two followers and favorites! :) this is very exciting for me. So I have been sick for a little while, but I will continue to write today. Still sick though... :( enjoy chapter 11, and don't stop reading when you hit a certain part you won't like. ;)****

Chapter 11: Dark Omens

It was later in the day when I woke up.

"Woah... how long did I sleep?" I asked tiredly.

"About six hours or so." Said Haku. He was playing chess with Kahn...

Kahn!?

"Wh-What are you doing here Kahn!?" I exclaimed.

"He's playing chess." Said Kuhn...

Kuhn!? Not him too! I hid my head under the covers.

"Why are you hiding?" He laughed.

I poked my head out. "I... I'm not decent."

Kuhn's face turned bright red. "What!? I mean, um... Why are you...?"

A look of realization crossed his face, which turned even deeper red.

"I'm gonna... go. Let me know when you're... Yeah..."

He dragged Kahn out with him. "Your move Haku." He said before he was dragged outside.

Haku looked at me, then it hit him. His face turned wine red

"I-I-I completely forgot! Please forgive me! I-"

Kuhn cracked open the door. "You too Haku! I need to have a word with you!"

Haku sighed and walked out.

I quickly got dressed and listened to Kuhn's rant.

"You DON'T treat a LADY like THAT!" Yelled Kuhn.

Haku mumbled something.

"How could you forget something like that!? HAVE YOU NO SHAME!?"

They walked back in. "Have something to say Haku?" Said Kuhn.

"Give him a break!" I laughed. "He's already-"

...It was happening again...

My eyes were red, shadows surrounded my form, and my nails grew into scissor like claws.

"It's happening again..." Said Kahn.

Haku looked outside. "They're everywhere!" He exclaimed.

I heard the callings and whispers of the dark ones... calling for a leader.

I walked past him. "Chihiro wait!?" He yelled. I ignored him.

He walked in front of me. "I won't let them have you... Take care of yourself Chihiro."

I was back to my normal self, and saw Haku running toward the hoard.

"Haku!? No! STOP!" I yelled, but to no avail. A flash of light illuminated the field, then dissipated.

Not a soul was in the field... Not even Haku.

I fell to my knees... He couldn't be gone... He couldn't be!

Kuhn or Kahn touched my shoulder, I couldn't tell which.

I booked it to the middle of the field. "Haku!? Where are you!? Haku!" I collapsed.

"Foolish emotions..." Said Kahn from behind me.

I turned around and I was going to yell at him. Ask him, 'what do you know about emotions?' I soon discovered what he meant the moment I looked at him and saw a single tear slip down his face... He wasn't talking about me, but himself.

"Wake up..." He said.

"What...?" I asked.

"Chihiro, wake up." I sat up. I was covered in sweat and tears... a dream?

Haiku looked concerned. "Hey... what's wrong? It's okay, I'm here."

"I've never been so happy to see you in my life." My voice was trembling.

"Bad dream?" He asked.

"Very bad dream, very vivid." I frowned. "You died in the dream to save me..."

He looked at me. "From what?"

"The tainted." I said. "When they showed up, I turned into something dark and evil."

He looked down. "There seems to be a definite link between you and the tainted world... Zeniba may be of assistance there."

He looked back up at me. "But let's worry about that tommorow. Come, I'm going to teach you something."

We got dressed and went outside.

"If we're going to be up against armies of tainted vessels, you need to be able to defend yourself large scale. We are going to be shifting forms."

I was nervous. "Will I turn into a fish again? Because I'm pretty sure those can't breathe on land."

"No, you won't turn into a fish." He smiled. "Though that was pretty funny."

I frowned. "Why can't I be the Dragon and you be the stupid fish?"

He was more serious. "You know, there are perks to being small. You are able to move free of detection, and get to hard to reach places."

I looked down. "I don't know if I can do it again..."

He grabbed my shoulders. "I know you can." He said. "Just close your eyes, and will yourself to shift."

"I'll try..." I said. I closed my eyes, and visualized the field just at the edge of the spirit realm... the wind was blowing softly, brushing the grass like the hair of the earth... Shift.

I opened my eyes. I was small. "A raven? Not bad, a very useful form. Now, imagine how it feels to be in your normal form, and unshift."

I imagined every aspect of my normal self... Unshift.

I was standing above the grass now. "I want to try that again." I smiled.

He laughed. "See? That wasn't so bad! Now try again."

I closed my eyes. It was the field again... except this time, it was battlefield. I stood in the middle of the scene before me. I was calm, I was composed...

I was ethereal. I shifted.

"A Phoenix!? An ethereal Phoenix! Fantastic!"

I looked around... I was definitely huge. I bet I could fly! I began to levitate. Baku shifted into a Dragon, and we flew. We raced through the sky, and circled each other gracefully like dancers... we flew back to the island after sunset.

We landed, and shifted back. I practically tackled Haku.

"THAT. WAS. AMAZING!" I yelled.

He rolled me off, and we switched places. "You did beautifully!"

His eyes softened. He kissed me, and I could feel the love in his warmth...

I heard someone laughing, it was Kuhn.

"You two!? Hahahahahaaaaaa! It's so ironic!" Kuhn continued to laugh.

"Not really... I think they would make good children." Said Kahn with indifference.

Kuhn turned red as he gaped. "Dammit! Why do you have to make things so weird Kahn!?"

Kahn shrugged. "I simply state the facts."

Kuhn folded his arms in disgust. "'I simply state the facts.' WELL YOU'RE NO FUN!"

Haku stood. "What brings you two here?" He laughed.

"What, you think since you're no longer Yubaba's apprentice we won't come visit!? Well think again-!"

"I just want to play chess." Kahn interjected.

Kuhn fumed. "Of course YOU DO!"

Haku smiled. "Well, in any case, come on in."

"Wait!" I yelled. They stopped and stared at me.

"I... er..." I couldn't tell them. If Haku knew that part of the dream, he might risk himself in real life... I couldn't chance that. I realized what I had to do.

"You guys go on ahead... I'll stay here."

Haku frowned. "I'll stay with you then."

I laughed. "Nonsense! You have company over! I just want to sit... And watch the stars..."

He sighed. "Very well, just... don't be too long."

I waited until they all went inside. I felt fear well up inside of me, dreading my next course of action. I took out the charm that bound my hair. The charm Zeniba had made me so long ago... back when things were simpler.

I dropped it on the ground.

I uttered the incantation to open a tainted door. I looked back at the cottage, and tears filled my eyes.

"Goodbye Haku..." I ran into the portal... it closed behind me.

...And all was dark.


	12. Chapter 12

****You know that** **moment people have called writers block... yeah... it can last a painfully long time. Then there's that moment a completely different and unrelated fanfiction somehow inspires you to write again. Sorry for taking so long. :P**

 **Enjoy chapter 12! :)****

Chapter 12: Chihiro's light

 _Something feels off... like a bitterness in the_ _air._

Chihiro's words from earlier had somewhat disturbed him, and he knew something wasn't right.

 _No... it just doesn't add up..._

"Your move Haku." Said Kahn, gesturing to the board.

"Huh?" Said Haku, now attentive.

"Your move." He repeated.

He moved his knight in an "L" pattern, preventing Kahn's bishop from making a move. Kahn furrowed his brow in thought.

"She was acting very strange." Haku said solemnly.

Kuhn rested his head on his arms. "I have to agree with you there Haku. My question is why? Is something bothering her?"

Haku thought for a moment. "She seemed to be having a bad dream earlier, but-"

"You mean... It was a nightmare wasn't it...?" Kahn was trembling, his thoughts betraying him.

Kuhn turned to look at him curiously.

"Yes, it was." He responded. "But I assure you I will-"

"Are you serious!?" Kahn bursted suddenly. "You are aware that in her condition, most dreams are prophetic!"

Kuhn put a hand on his brothers shoulder, but he shoved it off and stood to pace about the room.

"We may be too late... already... Too late!"

Their hearts leapt as Kahn burst out of the cottage. Haku followed immediately after.

Haku bolted to the middle of the field.

 _This is all my fault! The recent peace I had felt with Chihiro had lulled my mind into a sense of safety... I should have seen this coming._

"Chihiro! Can you hear me!?"

 _I was a fool._

"Chihiro! Where are you!?"

 _A stupid worthless FOOL!_

"Chihiro!"

A red gleam caught his eye. He slowly walked over to it, and knelt down.

It was her charm... She had left it.

Tears flowed out of his eyes as he clutched the threaded charm in his hand.

"Dammit Chihiro! You foolish, reckless... what were you thinking...?"

He took a closer look at the charm. Something was different.

 _That energy... memories!?_

"Uh, Haku? Please tell me you know where Chihiro is. Kahn is freaking out. In case you haven't noticed, HE DOESN'T DO THAT!"

"Calm down Kuhn." Said Haku. "I don't know yet, but I'm about to find out."

He let his mind be open to the memories, which came flowing in like an unstoppable flood.

A room materialized... it was Chihiro's.

Chihiro was sitting on her bed. She looked quite a bit younger, and her hands covered her face.

"They don't believe me... I wasn't lying... I wasn't! It's real! I know it is!"

She burried herself deeper into her hands, and Haku felt her pain.

Another room materialized... It was a classroom.

"You're crazy!" Said one.

"Yeah, crazy." The others agreed.

"I'm not crazy! It's true!" Chihiro cried.

"Chihiro, come to the front of the class." Said the instructor.

"But-"

"Now." She said, cutting Chihiro off.

Chihiro slowly walked up to the front of the class.

"Chihiro, I don't know what you're trying to sell, but no one's buying it. So stop lying so much. Tell the class that you're sorry, and promise not to tell another lie in this class."

Chihiro stood tall. "I promise not to lie." She said. "But I'm not sorry, because I'm not lying."

The instructor frowned with disapproval.

"Sit down. I will call your parents after class."

Chihiro Sat down as tears filled her eyes. The class snickered and laughed, and Haku felt her injustice.

He experienced a multitude of memories. Some horrible, and some were... beautiful.

The field was before him.

"I just want to sit... and watch the stars..." Said Chihiro solemnly.

"Very well, just... don't be too long."

Chihiro's disposition completely changed when she was alone. She took out her charm, and dropped it on to the ground.

She muttered an incantation, and a portal opened. She approached the portal.

Thoughts raced through her head. Thoughts of pain, guilt, and sorrow.

The fear of death ran screaming through her head. She didn't want to die.

She looked back, and her mind was clear.

 _I'm going to do it... for them... for him._

"Goodbye Haku..." She said softly, tears brimming from her eyes as she ran into the portal.

The portal closed behind her, and all was dark.

Haku's eyes opened. Kahn and Kuhn seemed to be calm again.

"I know where she is but it's not going to be an easy retrieval. She's in the tainted realm." Haku said, a grave tone in his voice.

"How are we supposed to get her out of there!?" Kuhn exclaimed.

Kahn stepped up. "Allow me."

His eyes flashed red, and he uttered the same incantation that Chihiro had used to open the portal.

"Wait a minute." Said Kuhn suspiciously. "Only certain people can open that portal. What are you keeping from me brother?"

Kahn stayed facing the portal. "We cannot discuss this now... Chihiro will not be able to be retrieved in a short period of time. This is our window, and I intend to use it."

Kuhn nodded. "Alright then, let's go."

They entered the portal, and it closed behind them.

"Watch your step." Said Kahn cooly.

There were bones on the ground that made sickening crunches beneath their feet. The hall reeked with the stench of blood, oozing out of the crevices of the walls.

Red eyes flickered there. They seemed to glow with hatred, growling with a hunger as they stared at them with a stagnate glare.

Kahn continued walking, an air of calm surrounded him.

"They will not attack us, not with me escorting you."

There was a large door ahead made of heavy iron and brass. Kahn willed it open with a simple flick of the wrist.

The room was some kind of throne room, and Chihiro Sat on the throne.

"What brings you here? Need a favor from your queen Kahn?"

Kahn projected his thoughts to Haku.

 _Haku, I will stall her. Use your gift. I will back you up if it comes to that._

"My friends here are in need of some supplies, we want nothing but the best."

She grinned. "Very well, Lord Kahn. Get yourself to the armory men, and do be quick about it... lest I become impatient."

Chihiro looked forward as her tainted servants scattered out of the room. Her eyes were filled with a deep malice. It was to Haku's suspicion that her conscious self was unaware of her status in the tainted realm. He had to act now, before that beloved mind was swallowed in darkness.

Haku gazed into her eyes, projecting calmness into her being.

She grinned maliciously, and Haku could feel his insides starting to tear. He hid this fact.

Kahn looked into her eyes, and serenity filled her soul.

I was back, consciousness flowing into my mind. Kahn, Kuhn, and Haku stood there facing me.

"What are you doing here!?" I exclaimed. "It's not safe!"

Haku ran up to me and swept me up into his arms. The three bolted out of the door.

The massive gate shut behind us as we raced to the end of the hall. The tainted shot out of the walls, cornering us at every turn.

Kahn spoke a spell aloud, and a portal opened revealing the spirit world.

We jumped through it, tumbling on the ground as it closed.

Haku was still holding me in his arms, holding me tightly as blood started to spill from his mouth.

I felt my heart sink. "Guys, I think Haku is hurt!"

They ran to him. Kahn placed his hand over Haku's abdomen, his eyes widened.

"This is not good."

I saw a glow form around his hands, and a flash of light escaped him. It seemed to flicker out as soon as it shone.

Kahn nearly collapsed, barely able to hold himself upright.

"No, not now! Now is not the time to be running on empty!"

"Kahn, it's over..." Kuhn hung his head solemnly, a look of hopelessnesss hung on their expressions.

"You're just giving up..."

I felt this emotion rise within me.

"So easily willing to let his life fade away..."

The energy was building up, and light surrounded me.

"Taking for granted a gift so humbly bestowed upon you..."

My soul filled with a whole and pure love. Wings of light were outstretched behind me, light coursing through my skin.

It resembled electricity spreading through a serene lake.

I shot up into the sky and looked upon the island. I uttered a chant of healing, letting my light fall on the land.

I saw the world below me blossom with new life, and I smiled.

...I smiled as I plummeted to the earth.

Kuhn ran over to Haku who was now sleeping peacefully. Flowers and life of many different kinds now thrived in the area.

A large tree that seemed to glow with purity, had grown right next to Haku.

Kahn lifted his head to look at the sky. Chihiro was falling...

He couldn't let her die, not after the sacrifice she had mad for Haku. A sacrifice she had made for all of them.

He had just enough power and will to change forms. He knew he could not catch her as a cockatrice, not in his state.

He felt the wings of light stretch out from behind him.

Kahn was not very akin to losing his composure. He was not privy to the idea of Kuhn being involved in his secret. A deadly secret that he had endured on his own for so long...

But this was the exception.

He let his form take shape and flew into the sky. He caught Chihiro mid fall and carried her safely to the ground.

He gently set her down, and reverted back to his normal form.

Kuhn sat in front of him, giving his brother a piercing stare.

"You mind telling me what just happened?"

Kahn looked down. "What do you want to know?"

Kuhn fumed. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'd like to know how long you've kept this from me? However, I think what matters more is the fact that you kept anything from me at all! From your own brother!"

Kahn hung his head in sorrow.

"What does the word family mean to you Kahn!? All I've wanted to know for the past two hundred years, is what goes on in that mind of yours. I think two hundred years is a long enough wait, and I have been patient! How could you be so dishonorable, and-!"

"Because I had to!" Kahn yelled furiously.

"I know you have been waiting awhile, and I'm truly sorry for that. However, I would have been willing to let you wait for an eternity, were it to protect you. I couldn't see you blaming yourself for my pitifully foolish mistakes! ...Is there no honor in that?"

Tears began to fall down his face as he sobbed silently.

Kuhn put an arm around his brother's shoulder.

"Who did this to you Kahn? It hurts me to see you in so much pain."

He stayed silent, and continued to cry softly.

"Please tell me. Tell me what happened."

Kahn slowly lifted his head.

"Please keep an open heart, it's a long and terrible story."

 ****No literally, I wrote it all down long hand... backstory's are a b!*ch to remember! There's definitely a reason why it's going to be named "the longest chapter", because that's what it is. The longest chapter in the story. Longer than this one...**

 **Looooooonger...**

 **Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuun!**

 **... D: ... - (delayed reaction)**

 **This is what happens when I write all tired like. I get loopy.**

 **...It's kind of fun. :D!****


	13. Chapter 13

_****Hello readers! :) well, here it is. The longest chapter. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!****_

Chapter 9: The longest chapter

Kahn was at the young age of eight, giggling noisily behind a tree in a game of tag.

 _They'll never find me here!_

Kahn was very proud of his obvious hiding place, that is, until he felt a tap on the shoulder.

"You're it!" Squealed Kuhn, running a mock, giddy at this one accomplishment.

"I'll get you!" Kahn laughed.

Kahn chased after Kuhn, catching up to him with swiftest speed. Kuhn looked over his shoulder, feeling the suspense of the game rising.

Then Kahn tumbled to the ground as a hard fist sized rock hit his head.

He heard Kaihn taunt him as he got back up.

"What's the matter stupid, are you gonna get me or not?"

"Kaihn! That was really MEAN!" Yelled Kuhn, the shortest tempered out of the three brothers.

Kaihn laughed. "You're both a bunch of cry babies!"

Kahn smirked at him.

"What's so funny wimpling!?" Asked Kaihn loudly.

"I think it's funny that you think I'm stupid. Because that means you're double stupid. I mean, you got mad and gave up on a game of checkers. Not that you really knew how to play."

Kaihn glared at him. "You're just a no good cheater, you have no real talent."

You could insult his strength, or even attempt at insulting his intelligence...

Accuse Kahn of cheating? No, Kahn NEVER cheats. Ever.

He fumed. "Kaihn! You're so gonna be it!"

Kaihn made a face, then ran into the wooded area.

Kahn chased after Kaihn, but he was hiding somewhere...

...A familiar spiked black hair style poked out from behind a tree. Kahn tackled Kaihn to the ground.

"Ha! Now you're it!" He laughed triumphantly.

The victorious feeling however, was short-lived. A large and burly man grabbed Kaihn, holding a jagged knife to his throat.

Kahn kicked the man in that soft spot between his legs, causing him to release his brother. The man took the opportunity to grab Kahn, now the knife was held to his throat.

"Kaihn! He-!" The man held a hand over Kahn's mouth, holding the knife more tight against his throat.

The man looked at Kaihn, who was currently frozen with fear.

"Let's keep this our little secret kid, got it?"

Kaihn nodded and ran off.

"Where's Kahn?" I heard Kuhn say in the distance. "He's alright, isn't he?"

Kahn laughed. "Yeah he's fine, probably got lost in the woods."

"That's a relief..." Kuhn said. "Knowing Kahn, he'll find his way back in no time."

The man laughed softly to himself.

"Now that kid's what we're looking for, but I suppose you'll do..."

Kahn struggled to break free from the man's hold.

The man drew a small amount of blood with the knife, causing Kahn to tense, his body trembling with fear.

"Try anything else and I'll saw you're tiny head off, understand?"

He nodded, his body still shaking.

The man carried him off.

Kahn felt his heart sink as his small home disappeared behind the trees.

He was dragged to a warehouse deep in the woods. It was surrounded by hedges and other greenery. Kahn couldn't help but notice the strange smell coming from there, a smell that made his stomach churn.

He was shoved into a dark room, the door locked behind him.

The room was eerily silent, making every noise seem loud and threatening.

Dripping from the ceiling, footsteps scurrying about the halls, the muffled sounds of screams and banging on walls...

...it grew very dark. Kahn wished that he were home, and hoped someone was looking for him.

The door opened, filling the room with blinding light.

The man stood in the doorway. "Hey kid, time to get you to the arena. I bet big bucks on this round, so don't let me down."

Kahn froze.

 _The arena? That sounds unpleasant..._

He sat there, petrified by fear.

"Come on kid, let's go!" He grabbed Kahn by his long black hair, dragging him out of the room.

He was dropped at the entrance of a hedge maze, most likely being the hedges he saw when he was brought here earlier. The hedges seemed to be fortified by a wooden wall at the center. Despite the thickness of the hedges themselves, there was no chance of escaping through one. Kahn also noticed that there were multiple entrances, each matched with a kid around his age.

The man handed Kahn a knife.

"Take this, you're going to need it."

All of the children stood at attention as a voice echoed through their minds.

 _Welcome my little pawns... welcome to the arena! As most of you already know, there is only one rule in this game. However, for those new little times, I'll reiterate. The first one to make it out of this arena and live will win the game. Any questions...?_

There was silence.

 _I'll take your silence as a no..._

 _Begin!_

Each kid, including Kahn, entered into their specific entrances.

Kahn wandered aimlessly for a while, and he seemed to be getting more, and more lost. This was strange for him, considering his excellent sense of direction.

It unnerved him that each step he took felt like the wrong one.

"Gosh, does this place ever end...?" He muttered to himself.

Right in that instant, an arrow flew past his head, planting itself in the hedge wall in front of him.

He turned around.

A boy at least his age or older held a drawn bow pointed at him. He knew if he ran, he chanced getting hit by an arrow.

Kahn was always one to avoid conflict, especially the kind that kills you. He tried taking a different approach.

"Do you really have to kill me? Can't we just find our way out without hurting each other?"

The boy frowned. "I wish we could... What are you doing here? You seem too nice for this place, then again... we all were once."

He sighed. "You know, I've always liked a good game of chess. Too bad this isn't a game, and it makes things easier for me if you're out of the way."

Kahn perked up, hoping he could convince a bright mind like his own to help him.

"Hey, I like chess too. I'm pretty good at it actually! Maybe we could figure out how to escape together. We could find your parents, and while we wait, we could play chess! I have an awesome set!"

The boy smiled, a tear slipped down his cheek.

"There's no escaping this place, besides, I don't have parents anymore."

Kahn sighed. "Well, there's gotta be a way out, and you could stay with me and my brothers. My mom's a great cook!"

The boy was trembling. "You're making this very hard for me... I have to kill you now, so I won't have to do it later. I'm sorry, it's nothing personal."

He held his bow straight and launched another arrow. The arrow was headed straight for him.

Reflexes that Kahn didn't know he possessed kicked in. His arm flew up, catching the arrow an inch away from his face.

He shakily pulled out his dagger, standing in a weak defensive position.

"Please! Maybe we could work together!"

His eyes now cold, he prepared his bow with another arrow.

If Kahn ran, there was a high chance he would die. If he stayed still he would surely die.

...So it had come down to this.

Kahn tackled him before he could finish drawing his bow. He saw the arrow fly over his head as the boy struggled to get free.

He took the dagger and plunged it into his throat.

The life quickly faded from his eyes as his blood soaked the ground. He was limp in his arms... motionless.

The boy he had just been talking with, pleading with... speechless.

Kahn stared in shock at his own hands.

Red...

Red with blood.

He continued to tremble, and he could swear he heard screaming...

Deafening, loud screaming... was it the boy...? No. He was dead.

Kahn soon came to the horrific realization that this was his own screaming. He snapped back to reality as running footsteps grew nearer.

He quickly harvested the boy's bow and arrows, hiding himself in the nearest hedge wall. An older girl turned the corner.

She held a device of some kind, and she had stopped in this area.

She looked at her device, looked at the hedge wall, and looked back down at her device.

"It says somebody's here, but no one's... hold on a second."

She readied her longsword as she walked towards him. She had superior range to him, and she had him on size too.

He had to act now, while the element of surprise was still in his favor.

He jumped out of the hedges and stabbed her in the side of the neck. She bled out fairly fast after that.

Kahn had a sick feeling in his stomach, but he had no time to waste on that right now.

He picked up the device she was carrying and looked at it. The maze was etched out on the screen, six little dots moving around it aimlessly.

Well, five were moving. One blue dot stood completely still. It was on a green line.

A line leading to the end of the maze.

As he moved, the little blue dot moved as well. He then confirmed that he was the blue dot.

He pocketed his now bloodied blade, and strapped on the bow and arrows he had harvested. He began diligently following the green line thread to his salvation.

He saw that the sun was beginning to rise, but no matter. Kahn was approaching the much awaited exit.

But before he left the maze, a thought occured to him.

Why were all of these kids trying so hard to kill each other? He pondered this, as there was no one nearby to disturb him.

He thought about the rules of the game...

...There was only one.

A sickening reality became clear to him. It wasn't simply the first one out who won, in fact, it wasn't that at all.

...The first one to make it out **_And_** live won this death wish game.

So those who made it out alive would have to fight to the death in close combat. Kahn had to face the facts, he was small, and the others were all bigger than him.

A one on one battle with any of them would end him. So, there was only one option if Kahn wanted to make it out of this alive...

...and that was to be the only survivor to exit the maze. Period.

Kahn was ten feet away from the exit. He concealed himself in the hedge wall, lying in wait. He looked at the harvested device, and saw a blue dot nearing his location. There was a red one not far behind.

Luckily, the spot Kahn was in was a hollowed part of the hedge. Perhaps someone else has had the same idea?

He readied his bow as an older boy turned the corner. He smirked as he walked toward the exit. Kahn let his arrow fly...

...but he missed.

The boy turned and fled to the exit.

Kahn jumped on him while his back was turned, shoving the small dagger from the back of his neck, out the front of his throat.

He cursed himself as well as any eight year old could. He could not miss the next one.

He heard footsteps nearing, most likely the red dot.

He hid himself in his spot and waited.

A girl turned the corner, her face instantly paled by the sight of the boys body. She bolted for the exit, but not soon enough for Kahn's strike.

Kahn's arrow flew by and plunged into the back of the girl's head. She died instantly.

That was close. Too close.

The other three were still wandering in the middle of the maze, so Kahn left his hiding spot to collect arrows, and hide bodies in his hollow. He concealed himself again and lied in wait.

He saw a red dot nearing the corner and readied his bow.

He waited, but nothing happened. She had stopped.

He waited five more minutes, still no movement.

This annoyed Kahn and made him increasingly impatient. He was ready to make his move, when a light signal shot from the corner of the edge.

He looked at his device again. The two remaining blue dots neared the exit. The two dots ran into each other, then one disappeared.

The last dot ran into the hiding dot in the corner. He heard a sharp scream, as her blade sunk into his flesh. The blue dot disappeared, and the girl revealed herself, staring right at his hiding spot.

She looked at least a year younger than Kahn, and looked much too small to be wielding a full sized katana. She had long golden brown hair, hazel eyes, and wore a dark green dress with no shoes.

Kahn readied his bow.

"Wait, before you do that, I have a proposal. I know of a way we can get out of here without killing each other."

Kahn held his bow steady. "How do I know I can trust you?"

She laughed. "The question you should be asking is, why haven't I killed you yet."

Kahn felt him self grow pale.

"The fact is, I trust you more then I trusted the others... but you're not like the others, are you?"

He slightly lowered his boy and stepped out of the hedge.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Oh me? I'm Nina." She answered.

"So are you interested in hearing my plan?"

Kahn put away his bow and nodded.

"Alright, so what we're going to do is exit and pretend to fight. You will pretend to kill me, but make it look good. We have an audience."

"What then?" He prompted.

"Then, a man will teleport to your location and name you the winner. I want you to kill this man, and take his amulet."

"Kill him...?" He asked nervously.

"Yes, kill him and take his amulet." She replied.

"After you have the amulet, I will run to you and grab your hand. You will hold the amulet in the other hand, then imagine what it feels like to be near home. The amulet will teleport us there, just like the man will teleport to us."

Kahn figured that it was too creative to be a lie, and he couldn't find a flaw in her logic.

He nodded. "Okay, let's do it."

They bolted out of the maze, managing the menacing glares they threw at each other. Kahn readied his dagger, and tackled Nina to the ground.

They wrestled around, making the struggle look as convincing as possible. He pinned Nina to the ground, stabbing his own hand which was placed strategically on her chest. She went limp, and his own blood soaked her dress, leaving a convincing fake death scene. He clenched his wounded hand to conceal the fact that he was bleeding.

Like Nina had told him, a man had teleported into the arena.

He had jet black hair that was slicked back into a greasy comb-over, was roughly six and a half feet tall, and wore a gaudy suit with a crooked bowtie.

Many rings bedazzled his fingers, and he wore a purple and gold amulet. It contrasted horribly with the man's awful suit.

The grotesque man walked towards Kahn, his smug smile sending shivers down his spine.

The man's face grew close to Kahn's, and the smell of rotten meat became evident as the man spoke.

"Well, well... aren't you an unlikely prospect!"

He laughed.

"So, a little brat like you took out a maze of seven, bigger and more experienced kids?"

He sighed. "I would believe that, odd as it were... but I sense foul play."

Kahn felt fear paralyze him as the blood left his face.

"Now tell me son, is she really dead?"

Kahn nodded slowly, trying to keep a cool composure. His heart was pounding in his chest, threatening to burst at any moment.

The man grinned maliciously. "Let's confirm that, shall we?"

He walked toward Nina, drawing his knife.

Kahn ran toward the man, blade at the ready. The man swung his arm out, knocking him down in one fell swoop.

"Nina, run!" He screamed.

She stood to defend herself, but to no avail. He grabbed her katana, brutally thrusting it through her torso.

As the sword was removed, Nina's form had changed. She was no longer a girl younger than Kahn, but that of a young woman.

The man walked over to Kahn, licking the sadistic smile on his lips.

"You are disqualified, for which the punishment is death. Give me the knife boy, and we'll make this fast."

Kahn felt a very dark energy awaken within him, darkness of the likes he had never experienced. His eyes were blood red, his face shaded.

"You want my knife...?" Kahn tackled the greasy, wretch of a man to the hard dirt ground.

"Then take it!" The man gasped, preparing to scream, and Kahn lodged his dagger into the roof of his mouth. When he removed the knife, the man twitched uncontrollably, his mouth overflowing with blood.

The crowd began to flee as Kahn felt himself return to normal. He looked at the man's bleeding all over the dirt. He sighed. Kahn really didn't like killing people, but he wasn't going to beat himself up over this one. Some people simply don't deserve to exist.

He looked at Nina, and his heart stopped.

She was curled up into a ball on the ground, clutching her torso. He quickly removed the amulet from the dead man's body, and ran over to Nina.

"Nina! I got the amulet, we can get you to a healer!"

She coughed. "I'm a goner kid, save yourself... get out of here."

Kahn couldn't just leave her, in fact, he wouldn't.

He felt goodness and light consume his form.

"I'm not leaving you Nina."

He felt the power rushing between his fingers. He muttered the unfamiliar incantation, and smiled as life flowed back into Nina.

The energy was released, and the world had stopped.

...

Kahn came to by a tree near his home, his body was covered in leaves that kept him warm. He felt something in his hand...

...a letter?

 _Hey kid,_

 _You saved my life back there. I brought you close to home so_

 _You wouldn't get lost, now get home and be careful. You're a_

 _Powerful kid, and there will be many people who will want to_

 _Use that to their advantage._

 _Safe travels:_

 _-Nina_

Kahn pocketed the letter and ran toward his home.

The heavily tear stained face of Kuhn saw him from the window. He ran out of the front door, and up to his brother.

"Kahn! Are you okay!? I'm really REALLY SORRY! I knew Kaihn was lying when you didn't come home!"

He hugged Kahn tightly, sobbing heavily.

Kahn sighed. "I just got lost, I'm fine."

Kuhn looked at his brother for a moment.

"Alright..." He sniffed. "Just come inside and let mom know you're okay."

They went inside, but Kahn's problems were long from over.

Kahn knew he could never tell his family about that night. He began to lose control of his tainted rage, changing forms nearly every night. He often had to leave home to release this rage, destroying the land around him. It wasn't long until his rage had grown too great, and consumed him.

That night was the night an entire village was destroyed. This was also the night that the tainted had offered him rank in their court.

Kahn, realizing what he had done, had felt disgusted with himself. Disgusted with those who offered him rank for such a horrid act.

He had decided then, to act on his heart which only burned with tainted hatred. He would learn to suppress the emotions within him to the point of emptiness. However, there was no easy solution to ridding this evil from his life. If he were yo avoid this, then he would risk endangering his family were the tainted to seek him out.

So he joined their ranks, seeking a powerful position. One where he would have the power to destroy them from the inside out, hoping one day, he could find peace.


	14. Chapter 14

****That last chapter was insanely long... Well, now we're moving on to chapter 14, Where we're ending the backstory conversation, and will be seeing more of Chihiro and Haku. ;) This chapter is mainly comic relief, because it has been needed...****

Chapter 14: The powers of Ambrosia

Kahn hung his head in shame and sorrow.

"If you cannot forgive me, I understand."

Kuhn was stricken with a sudden sorrow of his own.

"I'm not mad at you... Now that I think about it, the way things went down with Yubaba... I should have fought harder to protect our freedom, this situation certainly hasn't lent us any peace."

Kahn sighed uncomfortably. "That was the reason I didn't want to tell you. I knew you'd blame yourself..."

Kuhn shook his head. "No brother, that's not it. I just wish I would've known this sooner, I could have done more for you this whole time, despite the past."

Kahn looked up at Kuhn, his expression showed how the years had made him weary. Yet, in those eyes now were a glimmer of hope.

"Kahn... why would you think you had to do this alone? All of this time you've been suffering, carrying an unbearable burden. I now I realize that I never truly knew you..."

Tears that had built, now threatened to fall.

"I want to know you. I want to know my brother, burden and all. We can share this load together."

Kahn wore a worried expression.

"But if I lose control, I can't risk harming you."

Kuhn thought on this.

"There has to be a way to control this without closing off..." Kuhn perked up.

"Wait, what about Zeniba? She could be of use with this."

Kahn looked up thoughtfully.

"I suppose we could try."

Haku began to stir, mumbling something indiscernable. Kahn and Kuhn went over to him.

"I'm alive...?" He said, obviously still in a haze.

Kuhn smiled sarcastically. "No, not at all! I'm just staring at your body, talking to your 'ghost'."

Haku made an annoyed face. "Haha, very..."

His eyes filled with a sudden fear. He sat up.

"Where's Chihiro!? Is she alright!?"

"She's fine." Kahn assured him.

"But you should probably get her inside."

Haku looked around, and found her. He felt the tension release from his shoulders and gave a sigh of relief.

She looked stunning in the moonlight. He mused to himself. Sleeping peacefully in a bed of flowers...

...Flowers!?

"What happened to this place...?" Said Haku, staring in awe at the scene before him.

"I don't exactly know..." Kuhn answered, looking about as bewildered as Haku.

"It's a long story." Said Kahn tiredly. "But I do believe this is a good omen."

Haku smiled at that. He walked over to Chihiro, kneeling down beside her. He held her for a moment, taking in all of her features.

 _I only wish I could see her eyes right now, the moonlight would suit them well. Despite this breathtaking scene before me, it would seem dull and colorless without her in it. It has seemed that up until now, each moment we spend together could be our last... If she were to die here in this world, I would die beside her. Just the thought of losing her to the unknown oblivion... it gives me a feeling of what true emptiness would be like. I have sworn my very existence on protecting her, this is true. However, I can't help but wonder if my reasons are more selfish than they were at first. This is probably true as well. I'm afraid, because I've fallen hopelessly in love with every detail of her... I can't lose her..._

 _...Not now._

He lifted her up, and carried her inside.

He walked back out to the two brothers.

"Come inside. Sunrise is almost here and you two haven't slept. I know it's a little crowded, but-"

"We can't." Said Kuhn apologetically. "We have to get back to Yubaba, you know, the curse and all that. You go on in though, and get some sleep."

Haku nodded. "Very well, safe travels."

He went inside, and laid down next to Chihiro. She looked so peaceful...

He kissed her the top of her head softly.

"Goodnight, my heart..."

He felt her cuddle into him, and welcomed the embrace. He let her warmth carry him into a peaceful sleep...

...

I awoke next to Haku. "Good morning..." He whispered, nibbling at my ear.

I took in a heavy breath, and let out a blissful sigh. He was so warm, and comforting...

Last night's escapade flashed through my mind, and I realized it was amazing that we were both still alive.

Another dream...?

I shifted, as if to move and get out of bed. Haku did not make this easy.

"It's still early you know, and we've only slept for two or three hours."

He began to trail my jawline with his lips. The more I tried to move, the less I wanted to. I sank further and further into him...

But worry began to edge at my mind.

"What happened...?" I asked softly, finding it hard to speak as he gently caressed my body with his.

"Was last night a dream...?"

Haku sighed, his fingers intertwined with mine, and his disposition had darkened.

"No, it wasn't a dream. You really worried... no, It was more than worry."

Flashes of the tainted realm came rushing into my thoughts, and I shuddered with guilt.

"I'm so sorry Haku... and I know that words may not be good enough."

He caressed my face with his other hand, holding close to his.

"That's true, sometimes words aren't good enough... I couldn't stay mad at you, even if tried."

He gave me a soft peck. "However, you need to talk to me about things like this. I don't like being kept in the dark, especially when it comes to you."

I knew that everything he said was true. I also saw immense worry in his eyes... I should have known he'd be this upset.

"I swear, I'll talk to you more from now on. I'll let you know what's going on."

His face became serious, but it also seemed more relaxed.

"I will hold you to this, Chihiro."

I sat up, much to Haku's dismay. I walked over to the door, and opened it.

I gaped at the scenery before me...

Flowers scattered the field, vines and ivy wrapped around the side of the cottage wall. Many animals, some I thought were only possible in my wildest dreams, flourished throughout the island.

There was a magnificent tree in the field. It was surrounded by humming birds, and winged beings radiating a warm, and loving light.

I looked back at him. "Haku, get up! You have to see this!"

Haku sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"What... you mean outside? Oh, I've already seen it."

I smiled. "Oh, okay. Then can you tell me who those winged people are? There also seems to be a LOT of animals outside."

Haku stood. "Wait, what!?"

He ran to the doorway and looked outside. He smiled softly, holding the bridge of his nose.

"And I thought I could no longer be surprised..."

He stepped outside, and I could instantly see his shoulders relax. He turned to face me, and his eyes seemed slightly glassed over.

"It feels great out here, come on Chihiro!"

I laughed softly to myself. He seemed to be enjoying the outdoors more than usual!

I stepped out and onto the grass. It felt warm, and soft on my feet. I immediately changed forms as my heart filled with light, and I soon resembled the winged people. My body felt light, and I seemed to be in a intense state of euphoria.

"Hey, I'll race you to that tree!" Said Haku, stumbling toward the tree.

I laughed, and flew with incredible speed. I lifted Haku in the air with me and we flew, landing at the tree.

...Well, land may have been a slight understatement.

I lost my footing and we crash landed... the tree was what we ran into.

"Who won!?" I asked.

He laughed. "Who cares!"

 _But it was me. I won... I swear, I did._

"Hey, they look like you, right Chihiro?"

Haku gave a sheepish grin. "You must be angels of some sort, or demons...? With pretty shiny feathers... Can I touch your wings please?"

They laughed, sending another wave of blissful euphoria over us.

"We are the Lumina." Said a winged woman.

"Try this, it's fantastic!"

She floated to the top of the tree and grabbed two colorful fruits. She handed them to us.

"What're these?" I asked.

"They're Ambrosia fruits! You pull the stem off, and drink the Ambrosia."

I looked over at Haku, who was gnawing furiously at the shell of the fruit. I grabbed it from him, and removed the stem.

He gave a slurred laugh. "Oh... I knew that."

I removed the stem off of mine, and lifted my fruit.

"Cheers!" I said.

"Cheers." Haku replied.

We tapped fruits, and the drinking began.

After at least three more of those on both sides, the clothes came flying off. This didn't really matter, because no one else was wearing them either. We danced and we danced... all night long.

But it wasn't what you think is implied, get your mind out of the gutter!

I honestly didn't remember a fraction of what happened. I do know, however, that it was a blast.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: A Mismatched Pair

Kahn and Kuhn were on break, it was nightfall, and the bathhouse was fairly empty. Kuhn was in somewhat of a foul mood after lack of sleep, and a long day of servitude.

"I really hate the form we have to take during work!" Said Kuhn, fairly annoyed by the day's events.

"I mean, Yubaba could have at least given us arms, or a leg to hop on. At least then I wouldn't be stuck with rug burn on my FACE! WHY DOES SHE HAVE TO BE SUCH A HAG!"

"Well, she didn't exactly build her reputation from her warm hearted kindness." Kahn replied.

Kuhn gave an overdrawn sigh.

"No, no she did not."

A door clicked open, and there were footsteps in the room. A tall and curved woman stood in front of the two brothers, her hands placed on her hips.

"Hey! The bathhouse is closed. I invested in a 'closed' sign for a reason." She said.

"Yeah lady, and who are you?" Asked Kuhn with mock interest.

She got close to his face. "The name's Linn. Now you'd better explain yourselves, unless you want a broken nose and a room eviction!"

Kuhn scoffed. "Well, 'Linn' we work here, and it just so happens we're on official business."

Linn eyed him suspiciously. "This 'official business' doesn't involve Chihiro does it? Because I've heard some news about her recently, and it hasn't been good. If you two have anything to do with that, I don't care who you are or what Yubaba does to me... I'll turn you two into mince meat, got it?"

Kuhn blinked in surprise at the intimidating woman in front of him.

"H-How do you know her?" He asked.

Linn glared. "She's an old friend of mine. What about you, hot shot? Are you a friend...?"

Kahn interjected, oblivious to the level of intensity this conversation had reached.

"Yes, we are going to visit her and Haku actually. We're on break."

Linn paused, then burst out into laughter.

"Ha! 'Official business'!? Official business my ass!" She calmed down.

"Ugh, but Haku's there..." She said, a hint of mild disgust in her tone.

She smiled. "But anyway, you guys are going to visit Chihiro right? Mind if I agree along?"

Kuhn looked at her. He wasn't sure if he he liked her or not, and he wasn't too happy about the recent humiliation he had just experienced... but she was a friend of Chihiro.

He sighed. "Fine, I suppose..."

Kahn walked over to the balcony, then shifted into a large black cockatrice.

"Well, ladies first." Said Kuhn flatly.

Linn gaped. "You expect me to ride on a cockatrice!?"

Kuhn smirked. "Take it or leave it, your choice."

Linn glared at him. "Step aside, boy."

She climbed on Kahn the cockatrice's back.

"There, I'm on." She said.

Kuhn got on in front of her.

"Hold on tight." He said with a smug smile.

Linn scoffed. "If you think for one second that I'm going to-"

Kahn shot off of the balcony, and into the air. Linn wrapped her arms around Kuhn as she held on for dear life.

"Oh, sorry. Did you say something?" Said Kuhn with a mocking grin.

"Just shut up and don't let me fall." Said Linn bitterly.

Kuhn laughed. "Don't worry, I'll keep you safe! We'll be like two peas in a..."

Kuhn stopped mid sentence, a look of confusion on his face.

"What? What is it now?" Asked Linn.

Kuhn gave a defeated look.

"They had a party with the Lumina... and they didn't INVITE ME!?"

Linn laughed loudly. "Oh, well isn't that a shame!"

She looked over his shoulder. "I've gotta see this!"

Kuhn smiled. "It does look like quite the party though."

They landed on the island, prepared to meet their friends...

...Then a stark realization hit them.

Everyone on the island, including Haku and Chihiro, were completely naked.

Kuhn and Linn were appalled as they stood before the scene amidst the magnificent tree.

Kuhn averted his eyes as his face turned bright red. Linn couldn't look away at all, but instead stared with horrified fascination.

Kuhn spoke first. "This is just plain indecent! Kahn, we should-"

Kahn was now in his Lumina form, stripping as bare as a clear summer's sky. He ran into the crowd, and they cheered.

"Hey! Get back here! HAVE YOU NO SHAME!?"

Kuhn took a moment of pause. He was starting to get a bad feeling. He dragged Linn, who was currently too shocked to move, away from the naked party.

She covered her eyes. "I am never going to be able to unsee that, am I?"

"I agree." Kuhn shuddered. "But in any case, something seems off about this..."

Linn looked at him. "Yeah, everyone seemed to be blitzed out of their minds. Even your twin, just then. I wonder why we weren't phased by it?"

Kuhn thought for a moment.

"I don't know what's going on, but I have a plan."

"You do!?" Said Linn incredulously.

"Alright, Linn I'll drop you off at the bathhouse. I'm going to head over to Zeniba's place and figure this out."

"Hey pal, she's my friend too! I'll be damned before I let you take me back." Said Linn stubbornly.

"My name's not 'pal' it's Kuhn." He said, feeling annoyed.

He sighed. "Are you sure about this?"

She folded her arms. "What do you think?"

"Alright, just make sure you hold onto me before we launch."

He shifted into a most majestic Horned Pegasus, much to Linn's amusement.

She laughed. "Alright pony boy, show me what you've got."

She climbed up on his back and situated herself. Kuhn did not hesitate to launch himself, with Linn screaming into oblivion.


	16. Chapter 16

_****That last chapter was really fun to write. There are going to be more familiar characters incorporated into the story. It will help balance out the OC's with characters we remember. Well, they're half original anyway...**_

 _ **Enjoy Chapter 16! :)****_

Chapter 16: The Dark Side of Light

Kuhn gracefully landed in front of the gate to Zeniba's house, a very disoriented Linn stumbling off of him.

He changed back, not even attempting to conceal his amusement.

"You did that on purpose!" Linn exclaimed.

He grinned. "Not bad for a 'pony boy' huh?"

She glared at him. "Let's just get this over with."

They walked up to the door of the old cabin. Kuhn lifted his hand to knock on the door, but the door swung open before he had the chance.

"You're late, but no matter... come inside."

Zeniba stepped out of the doorway and let them in. No matter how much Kuhn visited, he knew he could never get over how creepy that was. No matter how hard he tried.

"Well, have a seat. I'll make some tea..." Zeniba said, gesturing toward the table.

On a normal day, Kuhn might not have minded taking some time to chat with the woman. Today was different, he had a lingering feeling of urgency and uneasiness.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I'd like you to clear up an urgent matter. Our friends might be in danger, and honestly, I've got this bad feeling about all of it."

She nodded slowly. "Always trust a feeling of the heart, it will never lead you astray, so long as you don't abandon its judgement."

She gave a tired sigh. "Very well, give me a possesion belonging to your friend. This will make the process faster."

"Hmm... I don't know..." Kuhn dug through his pockets. He was surprised yo find Chihiro's red hair tie. He must have held on to it for Haku while they were in the tainted realm.

"Will this work?" He asked, handing the hair tie to Zeniba.

Zeniba held it in her hand, remembering the gift she had given Chihiro.

She grabbed the bridge of her nose.

"Oh Chihiro, what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?"

She closed her eyes, and focused her energy on the charm, sure enough, she found them.

She opened her eyes. "I'm afraid I will not be of much physical use. Those are not the Lumina you perceive them to be. These creatures primarily feed off of the Lumina, but also harvest those of magical blood. Myrmas such as these would render me useless, sending me into an unbreakable trance. I'm sorry, but it will be up to the two of you to stop them."

"Yeah? And how are we supposed to do that!?" Linn gaped.

Zeniba walked over to a shelf and took an encrested dagger from it.

"This dagger has ancient protective magic embeded within its runes. Use this in the area of the Myrma's, and they will surely die."

Kuhn excepted the dagger with a bow. They thanked Zeniba for her time, and went to leave the cabin. They opened the door to be met with a colossal boy, crouching down so his eyes met with theirs. He had a full head of brown hair and looked about eight years old.

"Boh!? Where have you been!? You know Yubaba's been looking for you." Said Kuhn, very surprised.

Boh glared at him. "I'm not going back to mama's house Kuhn! ...You're not here to take me back there are you...?"

Kuhn sighed. "I really don't blame you kid. No, we're just going to help our friend, Chihiro. So don't worry I won't-"

"Wait Chihiro? What does she need help with?" Said Boh, cutting Kuhn off.

Linn groaned with utter annoyance. "We don't have time for this kid, she's in a lot of trouble and it's none of your damn business."

Boh puffed his chest out largely, which now contrasted with the childish pout on his face.

"Chihiro is my friend! If you don't let me help her, then you're a meany, and I'll come anyway."

Linn was prepared with a snide comment, but Kuhn spoke before she could land the blow.

"I understand you want to help her Boh, but we have to stay out of sight. You would be an asset in strength, but we both know you're not small. You'll blow our cover if they see you."

Boh's face held a mischievous grin.

"Oh, don't worry... I can be small."

They were all silent as his form changed from a boy to a mouse.

Kuhn smiled, then sighed. "Well, can't argue with that, can we Linn?"

She rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you're serious..."

She knelt down and held out her hand.

"Come on pipsqueak, let's go."

Boh promptly climbed onto her hand, and the three left the house as Zeniba waved them off.

Kuhn shifted into a Pegasus again. Linn had already underestimated him once, so she found that she had a newfound respect for him. Begrudgingly, but still.

She climbed onto him. She held Boy in one hand, and held on to Kuhn with the other. Kuhn gave a softer launch this time, much to Linn's relief.

This relief was short-lived. They had to fly extremely high up, so the Myrma's wouldn't see them. Linn had a crippling fear of heights, and Kuhn could tell by the way she was trembling. He managed a safe, and gentle landing on the dark side of the island.

Boh, being safe from prying Myrma eyes, shifted back into a boy.

Linn got off of Kuhn with wobbly knees, trying to regain control of her breath.

Kuhn spoke. "Why didn't you tell me you were so afraid of heights?"

Linn laughed bitterly. "Don't act like you didn't know before."

"I really didn't." He said. "The way you were launched the first two times, I figured that would have freaked anyone out."

A certain dark masked figure appeared beside Boh, ending their conversation.

Boh smiled. "Oh, hi No-Face. Did you want to come too?"

Kuhn and Linn turned to face them. Kuhn spoke first.

"Isn't that the guy who trashed the bathhouse eight or nine years ago!?"

"Damn right it is!" Linn replied.

She pointed an accusatory finger at No-Face.

"You'd better not cause any trouble like you did the last time, got it?"

"Ah." He replied solemnly.

Boh spoke up. "He says that he's really sorry about the bathhouse. That he's done a lot of soul searching to get from where he was, to where he is today. He would also like to remind you that he has paid for all of his damages in full. He has also made numerous donations to the bathhouse since then."

Linn's eye twitched.

Kuhn spoke. "How did you get all of that from 'Ah'!?" Said Kuhn, inaccurately butchering No-Face's 'Ah'.

Boh giggled childishly to himself.

"That sounds funny! No-Face? Can I tell him what he said?"

No-Face shook his head. "Ah, Ah."

Boh was grinning, but stayed silent.

Kuhn was getting impatient. "Well? What did I say?"

"No-Face said that I probably shouldn't repeat it." Boh replied.

"But I don't know what Bukaki is anyway, so I guess you're safe."

Kahn turned the color of red wine, and hung his head in silence. Linn started laughing at him.

There was a large sound in the background, as powers clashed in the distance.

They raced toward the area, hidden by a cottage wall.

The Myrma's, now dark winged and hellish creatures, began to swarm the others. Kahn was somehow in a state of half consciousness, barely holding them off.

"We won't make it in time!" Linn exclaimed.

Then give me the dagger!" Said Boh urgently.

"What, why!?" She asked.

"Just trust me!" He said.

Linn quickly handed him the enchanted dagger.

Boh closed his eyes for a moment, the unused dagger clutched in his right hand. His eyes shot open ah he let out a bloody war cry hurling the dagger toward the tree. The dagger sunk into the tree, emmiting a bright light.

A bright light that exploded, silencing all in its path.

...

I felt a throbbing pain in my head, when the seering light of the Sun hit my bearly opening eyes. I wonder if this is the spirit world's equivalent of a hangover?

I sat up, and looked at my surroundings.

Haku was completely naked, and a naked Kahn was sprawled on top of him. I then noticed the fruit shells strewn across the field, and the fact that I was also unclothed and next to Haku.

 _What the hell happened last night!?_

Images went running through my head of possible ways this could have happened.

 _Was it all three of us together? Or... we're Kahn and I...? What about Haku? What about Kahn and Haku!? Why were we doing this outside!? And if Kahn and Haku did..._

 _Then who was on top?_

I jumped as Haku screamed in horror.

"Kahn!? Wh-What happened!? What did we do!?"

Kahn grumbled tiredly. "Oh... good morning Haku."

I grinned mischievously. "Hey Haku, sweetly. I didn't know you swinged both ways!"

He held his head in his hands. "I don't though..." He said in utter dismay.

I laughed. "Oh no! that's a shame, because I think you were on bottom."

"That would be the most likely scenario." Said Kahn.

Haku shivered, and I swear I saw him turn a light shade of green.

The others approached us, and Linn yelled at us excitedly.

"Hey! You guys are still alive! Don't worry, nothing happened between any of you."

"You checked!?" Yelled Kuhn in disbelief.

Linn was silent for a moment.

"...No?" She replied.

Haku gave me a look. "Hm, hilarious..."

Kahn looked almost disappointed, but shrugged it off quickly.

They retrieved their clothes which were scattered around the tree. Once they were all dressed, they met with the others.

"Glad to see you guys made it through!" Said Kuhn cheerfully.

"What a beautiful morning, man, I slept good!"

Kahn looked up at the sky, and his face went pale.

"Kuhn..."

Kuhn looked at his brother. "Yeah, what is it?"

"It's late morning, and we're still here."

Kuhn's eyes went wide with shock. "You're right... Well, that can't be good."

I was confused. "Wait why does that matter? I understand Yubaba will get angry with you, but you can handle her! ...I'm more worried about myself."

That's right. Today was the end of my three day leave, and I was probably late.

"I'm afraid Yubaba is the least of our concerns now..." Kahn said darkly.

Kuhn interjected. "What he's trying to tell you, is related with the curse both of us share. Usually, if we aren't back at the bathhouse before sunrise, there are severe physical... consequences."

"What kinds of consequences?" I pried.

"Ones that eventually lead to death." Said Kahn.

"The fact that we're still alive means one of two things. One, the caster of the spell mercifully let us free. Or two, the caster has died."

The first one didn't sound overly likely.

"Do you think something's happened at the bathhouse?" Kuhn asked.

Kahn nodded. "I'm certain that something has."

I felt something in my very core, like something devastating was coming to fruition. Deep down in the darkest place of my mind... that part of me knew exactly what it was.

"Do you think we should check it out?" Asked Linn.

"No!" I screamed. My vision was instantly red, and my energy burst seemed to frighten the nearby wild life.

I collapsed onto my knees, my head feeling light.

"Hey, what just happened to her!?" Linn asked, obviously freaked out.

"She's fine." Kahn assured her. "She, like myself, is what you would call a Demi-Blood. Certain souls have a strong connection to both the Lumina, and the tainted. It is a fairly unique soul trait, and often surfaces at random. What you saw just then, was a tainted connection."

Linn gaped. "So you're saying the tainted have something to do with this!?"

She squeezed the breath out of me in a tight hug.

"Thanks for the warning! I'm never setting a foot in there again!"

When Linn was done crushing my ribs, I was able to fully process all of Kahn's words.

"Wait, so if we're the same, then how did you learn to control the outbursts that come with this?"

He sighed. "Yes, I learned how to control the outbursts. However, the method I used wasn't exactly the most pleasant kind."

"It doesn't have to be pleasant, it just has to work." I urged.

Haku put a hand on my shoulder.

"You may want to rethink that notion, love."

"He's right." Said Kuhn. "Let him explain the method to you first, then you can ask again if that's still what you want."

I nodded. "Can you explain it please, Kahn?"

His body relaxed, as if he had physically forced it to. Then he began.

"I did learn over time to control these outbursts. I did it by surrounding my self with my unwilling tainted brethren. I committed unspeakable acts, all the while shutting off my emotions. I became cold, and calculated, only to complete my vengeful mission. Tearing apart the tainted realm from the inside, by infiltrating their ranks. I was eventually seeking complete leadership over the realm, where I could use that power to destroy them all."

I had not realized it yet, but I was trembling heavily. My face had gone pale, and my breath was shaking.

"But once you've betrayed them on a level that I recently did, your rank is stripped, and you are hunted. Being captured by the tainted, you will be subjected to-"

"Shut up!" Yelled Linn. "Can't you see you're scaring the hell out of her!?"

"She needs to be scared." Kahn replied coldly.

"She needs to know what she would be subjecting herself to-"

"I think she knows now brother." Said Kuhn calmly.

 _It all makes sense now... the way Kahn acts. The way I've always seen him act._

 _Never phased by the most horrific scenes._

 _Never truly smiling... it all made sense... too much sense. And they were right, I really didn't want that. However, I also never asked for these connections in the first place. I just wanted to move on, and never face it. It was becoming all too clear now, that running away from this was impossible. It's not that I don't respect, and even accept Kahn... I just never thought there was a possibility that I would turn out like him. Empty... and alone inside of himself._

 _...Is this what awaited me...?_

"Chihiro, are you alright?" Haku asked. His voice was calming.

I was crouched down on the ground, Haku was securing me in his hold. I was so out of it now, I was surprised to find there were tears rolling down my cheeks.

I managed to calm myself, and looked up at Kahn. All eyes seemed to be on me but his. His we're angled at the ground. No one else seemed to notice, but for a moment, I saw guilt in his eyes. Guilt, dripping with pain.

He looked at me, then looked away.

I stood, and walked over to him.

"Thanks for the warning Kahn, I really owe you one."

I saw a glint of surprise there. I smiled at him.

"You're right, it scared me just enough. I'll definitely look for better options, and I think you should too."

"Alright, that's all good and peachy, but how!?" Asked Linn.

"Well, Zeniba of course." Said the three men in sync.

"I've heard that a lot." I pointed out. "But why? What does she know about this?"

Kahn gave a sly half smile. "Let's just say, she has had dealings with both sides of the board."

I wasn't sure I wanted to know what he meant by that. I did know that if she could help, I didn't want to waste any more time. I felt a spark of hope as I thought about Zeniba.

...I wonder what my old granny is up to these days?


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Flying is Overrated

We all agreed, that due to the current situation, we couldn't postpone our issues any longer. Not only would Zeniba have valuable information on Demi-Blood's, she might be able to help us figure out what happened at the bathhouse.

If the tainted had control of the bathhouse, not only the staff would suffer. All of the current and incoming customers would be affected too. If they were planning on building an army, that would be a good place to start.

Kahn shifted into his form. Haku told me it was a cockatrice, and that those who angered a cockatrice were seldom fortunate enough to tell the tale.

Haku and I were ready to go, because he could shift into a Dragon. Not that I couldn't shift into a Phoenix, I just liked being able to enjoy the ride sometimes.

Kuhn had shifted into a Pegasus, and I figured it was flamboyant enough to suit him.

Linn was paired with Kahn, Boh was on my shoulder as a mouse, and No-Face was also sharing a ride with me. It looked like everyone was covered.

"Is everyone ready to take off?" I asked.

Kuhn shifted back for a moment.

"Actually, Linn and I will be traveling by land. I thought I felt a storm coming, so I figured it would be a good idea."

I looked up into the blue and cloudless sky... whatever Kuhn sensed, I wasn't seeing it.

"Fair enough, as long as we all get there, right?"

He nodded, and shifted back into a Pegasus. Linn quickly mounted him, and we were all set.

As Haku and I took off with the others, I couldn't help but wonder if Kuhn's excuse for traveling on land was about the weather at all.

I smiled to myself... Kuhn just wanted an excuse to spend more time with Linn.

...

"Really, the weather?" Said Linn with a smirk.

"You know, they might be getting the wrong idea."

Kuhn snorted loudly, and Linn could feel the eye roll coming off of him. Her face softened as she thought about this situation. Kuhn was being decent enough to work with her shortcomings. For the first time, she was grateful for Kuhn, and the fact that his shift wasn't purely based on air travel. It was a commonly known fact that each spirit, magical or not, had a specific shift. Linn specialized in the small kinds, and her best was a Parrot. Needless to say she didn't shift often. As far as Linn was concerned, she was enough of a Parrot in her normal form. No need to stretch that truth any farther then she had to.

She really did appreciate what Kuhn was doing, so she attempted a thank you.

"Kuhn... uh, I'm really glad that you're doing this. I mean, not that you can't be a complete prick... what I'm saying is that I don't hate you... So yeah."

And that's as far as Linn was going to take it.

Even if Kuhn could physically respond to that, he wouldn't know the first place to start. He just took it as a thank you, and decided to drop the rest. He was starting to realize that when Linn spoke to him, there was a lot you have to sift through.

"What is that!?" Linn said with a gasp.

Kuhn looked to the left, and saw they were being flanked by tainted vessels. He picked up the pace so they could lose their new followers, but these ones were fast.

 _Sorry Linn..._

He launched the both of them into the air, and could feel Linn's hold tighten.

The vessels stacked on top of each other, the one on top jumped up and attempted a blow.

It was headed for both himself and Linn, and there was no way that he could dodge it mid launch. If he attempted to dodge it, both of them would get hurt. If he shifted his weight enough, only he would take the blow. However, with that comes the risk of going dark. He definitely did not want to risk turning tainted.

The only logical option was to attempt to dodge the blow, that way they could escape injured, but unharmed by the taint. Yes, and they could escape in the commotion.

In this split second, Kuhn had to make a decision...

It wasn't the logical one.

Kuhn took the full blow of the attack, and shifted back to normal. Seeing as he'd already been hit, he saw no point in not fighting them in close combat.

Linn was backed up against a tree, unharmed. The tainted vessels were lunging toward her.

He slid in front of Linn, and launched a the one into a tree branch with a kick.

"Stay behind me!" He yelled.

Linn stayed put. She had no fighting skills to speak of, and she was too weak in the knees to even stand. She was sickened by how weak she felt...

 _Wow... I sure talk big, don't I? Always throwing out empty threats, and talking down to people like Kuhn... at least Kuhn can back up his talk. Why am I so weak...?_

 _Kuhn has just risked his life to protect me, of all people... and I can't even manage to stand?_

 _Why can't I stand the he'll up and make some use of myself!?_

 _Stand the he'll up Linn!_

 _...Move dammit!_

 _MOVE!_

A tainted vessel had managed to break through Kuhn's defense, and was thrusting a sword straight at him.

Linn stood, and grabbed the sword.

Kuhn had quickly disposed of him after, and Linn could feel the blood gushing out of the wound in her hand. She was in too much shock to react to it, so Kuhn saw it first.

"Linn! That's a really bad wound..."

He grabbed the wounded hand, and removed the band that tied his shirt at the center. He tightly wrapped her hand with it.

"Don't worry about me." She said, half aware of the fact that she was speaking.

"I just got in the way..."

He put an arm around her and lifted her up. His own wounds were severe, and with the possibility of the taint in his blood, potentially fatal.

"You don't have to carry me... my legs aren't broken." Said Linn, still in a daze.

"You're in shock, you can't walk on your own right now." Said Kuhn stubbornly.

"Put me down Kuhn, I'm fine." Said Linn with equal stubbornness.

Kuhn sighed. "Linn, I'm not going to argue with you this time."

Linn was tired, so she decided to let him win this time. The next thing she knew, she was being covered with something. Kuhn was sitting next to her after that, violently coughing.

She was warm, and insulated by fallen leaves. There was a fire going, and it looked like Kuhn had built a branch shelter while she was asleep.

Kuhn looked at her, and saw she was awake.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I feel alright, my hand's a little sore. Other than that, I'm fine."

She sighed sadly. "So I take it we were separated from the others?"

"Unfortunately yes. I don't think they saw what was-"

His sentence was interrupted by a fit of coughing.

Linn sat up. "Kuhn! Why are you-!? ...Shit! Don't tell me you got the taint!"

"Linn, don't worry about it... I'll be fine, I just need-"

More coughing, this time it was more violent.

"No, the last thing you need is rest." Said Linn, guessing the end of that sentence.

"What we need is to get to Zeniba and the others! If you didn't know, you could turn in your sleep. Then where would we be!?"

He took in slow breaths to control the coughing, then handed Linn a knife.

"Well, if I do, use this." He said.

"Kuhn, I'm not gonna stand by and watch you turn into a monster. I wouldn't wish a fate like that on my worst enemy, let alone a friend!"

In a spur of emotion, Linn had called Kuhn a friend. She decided not to backtrack that statement. He might as well be her friend.

"Linn, there isn't a fast option of travel anymore. I can't protect you if we run into trouble again."

Linn decided to take a different approach.

"Well, you can't protect me if you're tainted either."

He looked down. "I know that, but-"

"No buts, do you really think I could defend myself with this puny knife!?"

He handed her two more throwing knives, and a shortsword from his pack.

"There, will that be enough?" He asked with honest sincerity.

Despite herself, Linn felt tears pressing behind her eyes.

"Why are you doing this for someone like me!? You damn fool! I'm not worth risking your life over!"

Kuhn coughed, and his voice was starting to sound more raw.

"Why not?" He asked.

"What do you mean 'why not'!?" Said Linn, trying not to choke.

"I meant what I said. So why not, Linn?"

She was silent, fearing that if she spoke another word, she would burst into tears.

"You know something? You're not as mean as you'd like everyone to think."

He coughed more, grabbing his torso. Then he continued.

"You have a good heart, yet you cover it up. Do you really think so little of yourself?"

She scoffed. "Yeah, well why do you care? If I was such a bitch to you, then why are you suddenly being so nice?"

"I wasn't calling you names Linn. I didn't even mention our arguments, in fact, I never took them personally. So why bring that up? Why call yourself-"

Kuhn grabbed his torso, and was coughing so hard he had gagged himself. Some blood leaked from his mouth.

Linn realized then that he wasn't turning. His body was fully rejecting the taint, and he would die instead.

Kuhn sat himself back up somehow, and continued.

"You shouldn't talk about yourself like that... I don't dislike you, in fact, I was just getting fond of your commentary. To be honest, even when we were bickering, you know, when we met... it helped me forget about the bad side of my day."

She sat silently, not knowing how to react. He was perceptive to things she forced her self to not think about. Linn couldn't admit it, not even to herself, but that scared her.

"Linn... I think you're really..."

...He had stopped talking.

Linn froze.

Had he passed out, or was he...

No, he would have started to disappear by now if he was dead.

She shook him. "Hey! I told you not to fall asleep!"

His eyes fluttered.

"That's right, now wake the hell up!"

He went limp, and his breath was slowing.

She quickly moved over to his pack and looked for something, anything that could help. She knew that in this state, if he lost consciousness, it was over.

She found a stimulant injection in his pack. She wasn't overly surprised, due to the horrendous hours Yubaba works her staff. She couldn't believe she never thought of it.

She shoved the injection into his shoulder, and released all of it from the syringe.

His eyes shot open, his pupils extremely dilated.

"A-An injection? L-Linn... Linn, h-How much did you give me!?"

She tensed. "The whole thing... is that bad...?"

His already wide eyes became wider.

"Wh-Wh-WHAT!? I only EVER g-give myself a q-q-quarter dose!"

Linn remembered that Kuhn had been wounded by a vessel, which was why he got infected.

She lifted his shirt, and looked at the festering, gashed wound in his side. She removed the bandage from her hand, which seemed to be suffering from a bad, regular infection. She figured she could at least manage to wrap it with this amount of fabric.

"Linn, d-don't do that, I gave it t-to you for a reason."

She smiled. "Now you're the one one all beat up, so don't tell me what to do."

He groaned in pain annoyance. "J-Just stop! You don't have to-!"

She lifted him up. "Ah, just shut the hell up! Whining makes you harder to carry."

"But-"

"Ah!" She interrupted. "No whining."

You could tell he didn't like it at all, but he did stay quiet.

"We're going to head to where the others are, how long will the stimulant last?"

"P-Probably t-two or three days. C-Considering how m-much-"

"That's all I needed to know." She said, cutting him off.

He sighed in utter annoyance.

"I'll be protecting you this time, so don't get any bright ideas, hot shot."

With no chance of sleep, and Linn being... Well... Linn. He knew this was going to be a long trip.


	18. Chapter 18

****So, I'm officially on an intense writing spree. I hope you enjoy the pace of updates, because right now it's fast. And I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.**

 **Enjoy chapter 18! :)****

Chapter 18: Promises

We had all showed up at Zeniba's house...

Well, all of us except for Kuhn and Linn.

We figured they wouldn't be far behind us at first. Then Haku had the shared theory of Kuhn taking advantage of his newfound freedom, using it to spend time with Linn. Then we joked that when no one was looking, he flew off with her valiantly into the sunset.

We all laughed.

It had been a full day now since we had arrived, and there was no sign of Kuhn or Linn. No one was laughing anymore, and we were all very worried.

Kahn paced nervously outside of the cabin, he didn't get any sleep as far as I saw.

Haku let out a heavy breath as he sat next to me.

"Do you think they ran into trouble." He stated it, because he already knew the answer to that.

"I hope not..." I replied.

"Well, wherever they are, I can't find them." Said Zeniba solemnly.

"They seemed to be wandering in my blindspot, and I haven't sensed any movement from around there..."

She was tired. She had been searching for them all night, but couldn't get a good enough location to start searching. And with how bold these tainted were growing, I didn't blame her for wanting to narrow the search. The less we had to deal with the vessels for now, the better.

"You should take a break." Said Haku. "You'll have an even harder time searching if you're exhausted."

She opened her eyes, which were now heavy anyway from all of her scrying. She did look exhausted...

"Fair enough Haku..." She said.

She retired to her room after that, and fell asleep.

Hours had passed, and it was getting dark again. I was almost considering gathering the others to search the blindspot. It was a vague area, but I was extremely worried. I wouldn't get any sleep, at the rate my stress was rising.

"What!? What happened!?" Yelled Kahn.

We all stood and ran out of the door. They had made it back, but in horrible shape!

Linn and Kahn were looking over Kuhn.

"How much did you give him!?" Kahn exclaimed. This was the most horrified I had ever seen him.

Kuhn muttered something indiscernable to them.

"That much...? Well brother, I'm surprised you're still breathing."

Kahn looked at Linn, and I had never seen him so angry.

"That was too much Linn! Were you trying to stop his heart! You fool! What were you thinking!?"

Linn was silent.

"No answer then!?" He yelled.

"He was dying from taint, so I kept him awake." Said Linn in monotone. She looked extremely stressed.

Kahn froze. "Come again..."

"He was dying from taint, so-"

"Yes, that's what I thought you said..." Kahn said, cutting Linn off.

I had just now fully absorbed what Linn had said. Kuhn had the tainted sickness, and for some reason it was killing him. Linn had given him something to keep him awake, and boy did he look awake...

What did she give him!?

Zeniba walked past us. I didn't even know she'd been there.

"If he has the tainted poison within him, and it looks like he does, there is a chance that I can remove it with magic."

"That's true..." Kahn said. "But if he passes out from the pain of this process, then it would be for nothing."

"Yes, and not many have survived the process at all for that very reason." She said gravely.

"However, no one at all has survived a full-blown rejection to the tainted poison."

Kuhn spoke up. "Y-You can go for it. I c-can't even squint without my eyes b-b-bulging out of my head!"

Zeniba looked almost disturbed.

"I think I believe him, Kahn."

Haku and I walked over, and lifted him up.

"We'll take him inside." Said Haku.

"Get some rest Linn." I said. "It looks like you've earned it."

She sat there, frozen on the ground.

Kahn held out his hand, and said something to her... I guess he forgave her.

Boh had gone into his room, and no face followed him. He had been silent for most of the day...

...Poor Boh, he must be so worn out. He may not be a baby any more, but he's still pretty young. The little guy needs his sleep. Well, not little exactly...

I think I'll just stick with young.

Zeniba had begun the process of removing the taint from his blood. His chest lurched in the air, and he stifled a scream as he foamed from the mouth.

I think I know why Boh left the room now.

Kuhn's eyes were wide open, and he seemed to be aware of everything that was happening. I wasn't sure if I wanted to stay for this either. I think Linn was outside with Kahn, maybe I could...

...Wait, no.

Kuhn would have never left me alone at a time like this. In fact, he's proven that he wouldn't already.

I remember clearly the time I spent with Kaihn in that torture chamber. Every second felt like an eternity of me, wishing it were over. Begging for the pain to stop. Kuhn was there to comfort me at every step of the way, even though he didn't have to.

I couldn't abandon him now...

No, I couldn't abandon him ever. Because he would never abandon me.

I reached out and held his hand. He squeezed it tightly as another surge of pain filled his body.

"It's going to be okay..." I said softly.

"Just keep holding my hand."

I winced as he crushed my hand, letting out a horrific scream. I didn't pull away, but placed my other hand with his.

Haku stared in wonder as I did this. He himself was trembling, but I felt I didn't have the luxury right now.

I was a source of comfort, and comfort can't be afraid.

I was done being afraid.

I was done being a victim.

"I'm here... it's almost over." I said in a soothing tone.

The last part of the spell was in commission, and I saw the pain rising in his eyes.

"Hold on... I think this is it."

Kuhn let out one last sickening scream before Zeniba broke the spell. My hand was throbbing, and I couldn't feel my fingers...

...But I did it. I followed through with my promise. Even though I never voiced it, I know now that the most important promises to keep, are the one's we make with ourselves.

The one's that no one hear.

Kuhn's eyes looked heavier then they were before, but he was still awake.

 _...Even after all of that! Good god, what in the world did Linn give him!?_

He breathed in and out slowly, then looked up at me.

"Chihiro... how long were you with me?" He asked softly.

I smiled warmly. "As long as it took."

He looked down at my hand.

"D-Did I do that...?" He asked with worry.

I looked at my hand, which was numb to the very core of it. Every finger looked broken, and the hand looked mortifying... That was going to suck later.

However, I would expect no less from this close combat expert. The expert that must have killed me at least a thousand or more times in the course of my training.

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it, just get some rest."

He laughed bitterly. "Easier s-said than done... unfortunately."

"Let me take a look at that." Said Haku.

I gave him my hand, and he cringed.

"Chihiro... I wouldn't even know how to begin mending that. Until the bones are mended, I can't risk healing any of the surrounding tissues."

I felt the feeling start returning to my hand, and gritted my teeth.

"Let me see if I can at least some of the bones."

Haku started to bend my hand and set the bones.

"Ow, stop!" I yelled, pulling my hand back.

Kuhn let out a heavy breath of guilt.

"Sorry... I didn't mean to-"

"Don't apologize, I told you not to worry." I said.

He smiled sadly. "Well, I'm afraid there's only so much I can help. That hand looks pretty rough..."

He was sounding a lot better, maybe he could get some rest soon.

Haku grabbed my hand. "I'm really sorry love, but you need to hold still this time."

I braced myself for the worst, and it came.

I stifled a scream as he started to move the bones in my broken hand.

Every part of me that could move was tense. My nails on my left hand were digging into my kimono, and my left leg.

It felt like the pain lasted for hours, then a warming glow surrounded my hand.

"It's not completely healed, but it's a good temporary fix."

Haku looked worn out, Kuhn was physically sleeping, and I was worn down and tired.

Kahn and Linn walked in.

"Well, I expected him to be tired, but not sleeping. That ritual is very intense..."

Linn sat down next to us, and saw my hand.

"What in the he'll happened to your hand?" Whispered Linn. Nobody wanted to wake Kuhn, not after what he'd just endured.

I replied in a soft voice.

"It's just a minor break now, Haku made sure of that."

"If that's minor, then what was it like before? What's been going on for the past six hours?"

...Apparently I had been here for six hours.

Kahn looked at my hand. "How did you manage that in such a small space?"

I looked down. "Well, Kuhn was in a lot of pain, so I gave him my hand... He took it."

Kahn looked at me, and I couldn't begin to decipher the look on his face.

"Here, let me heal that for you." He said, gently taking my hand.

His skin turned slightly brighter, but he didn't change forms completely.

I jumped as a sharp pain filled my hand. Right after the pain was gone, my hand felt completely healed.

"Well, if I knew you could do that sooner, the last half hour would have been much less painful for her."

It hurt Haku to see me in pain, just like it hurt me to see him that way.

I leaned into him. "Haku, you did all you could... and after you were done, it did feel better than the way it started."

He relaxed a little.

Kahn was sat in a chair, resting his head on the table. Linn was curled up about two feet away from Kuhn. Zeniba was in her room, no doubt, passed out again.

I was falling asleep, and I didn't forsee any movement happening.

I leaned into Haku, and Haku leaned into me. We ended up on Zeniba's floor, fast asleep.

...It's a good thing we were able to rest. There would be a lot to talk about tomorrow, and I needed to give it all my full attention.


	19. Chapter 19

****So, one person so far has been consistently reading. This makes me happy. :) everyone read at your own pace, but the faster the chapters get read, the more I update. So even if only one person decides to read this consistently, that means someone's reading, and I have to keep them satisfied. Now we're moving on to chapter 19.**

 **Enjoy! :)****

Chapter 19: Game Plan

We were all up around early afternoon, because a lot of us had to catch up on some much needed sleep.

Well, Kuhn was up earlier than the rest of us. He only managed to sleep off two hours of exhaustion away, before that stimulant Linn gave him reclaimed its hold.

At least he had stopped shivering and stuttering.

We were all gathered around Zeniba's table, ready to discuss the situation at hand.

"You came to me in need of help." Zeniba began. "Now, in most cases I require more time to determine whether I like you or not. This will not be necessary. You have all shown a great amount of strength these past two days, and I have no doubt that all of you have shown such promise before now. I am aware of my sister and the fall of her bathhouse. If you need my assistance, now would be the time to ask."

"Hold on." Said Haku. "If you knew about the bathhouse, then why didn't you help Yubaba? She is your sister."

Zeniba laughed. "My sister!? Hahahahaha! Ah, who cares? She hasn't given me reason to help her."

Haku had the most horrified look on his face.

"You need a reason to help your own sister!?"

She shrugged. "Yes, I do. Do not scold me on my behaviour Haku, you are the one here I like the least."

I could remember why, but that was a long time ago... She can definitely hold a grudge.

"So is she dead?" Asked Kuhn. He looked dead on his feet.

She sighed. "I'm afraid not. No, her fate was one worse than that."

Linn spoke. "You mean that old hag's still alive!? And I was just getting ready to open the Champaign."

Zeniba laughed. "I couldn't agree more!"

Her face became more solemn, and I could tell she was carrying some bad news.

"No, she's not dead. She's alive, but she has transformed into one of those tainted creatures."

The room filled with a chilling silence.

Kahn was the first to respond. "I have a few questions, if I may?"

Zeniba nodded. "Go ahead and ask."

Kahn began. "First, I wonder how many of the staff and customers have been turned in the bathhouse? Second, how far from the bathhouse does this extend? My last question, What would happen if this situation were left to fester?"

"Those are all excellent questions." Said Zeniba.

"All of the customers and staff who were in the bathhouse have turned, there is no sign of other evidence. The bathhouse, and all of the surrounding gardens in the area have been taken by this darkness. If this is left unchecked, all of you, and the rest of this spirit world are all doomed."

I couldn't shake how calm she was about that last part.

Her face became weary, and it gave me shivers.

"If you were to attempt to stop this now, none of you would survive. All of you need to become stronger before you can handle this large of a threat. You will have a month to get ready for this, because you can waste no more time than that."

She paused, and the silence was eerie.

"And if you are to dissolve the situation, do not set foot in the boiler room. If you do, you will surely die."

"The boiler room?" Haku asked. "Isn't that where Kamachi is!?"

Zeniba nodded. "Yes, and he is the most lethal of the tainted. Even more so than my sister."

Haku kept his composure, but you could tell this one hit home for him. I grabbed his hand, and held it.

"What he became, is what happens when one rejects the tainted poison half way. The poison destroys the mind and body, leaving only it's shell behind. All of his life force was replaced with the darkness of this poison. He is neither alive, nor dead. Far past the point of tainted, these creatures take the form of a beast they most resemble."

I could already guess that one, and it didn't sound pleasant.

"When you get around to destroying him, we will have to ignite the boiler room."

"You mean there's no way to cure him!?" Linn exclaimed. "Look, I hate that bathhouse as much as the next person, but this is Kamachi... That man didn't have a mean bone in his body."

Zeniba sighed. "He doesn't have bones in his body any more, good or not."

Linn turned slightly pale at this statement.

"The beast down there is not Kamachi, and if you were to see him now, you would not recognize him."

They were all silent, so I spoke up.

"Then what do we do to get stronger? This place is my home now, and I don't like the idea of dying in the afterlife."

Zeniba gave a sly smile. "Now that, is the right question."

"Some of you will have to train on your own, seeking help from one another, or other outside sources. Chihiro, I will be training you in my art."

Everyone looked at me in awe.

"You will all be welcome to stay here if you wish. Chihiro, in order for me to train you, you must stay here."

"Then I'll stay." Said Haku.

"Leave these two alone together?" Said Linn. "Don't worry, I'll stay here to keep an eye on them."

"And I'd better keep Linn in check." Said Kuhn.

Linn scoffed. "Like I need you as a babysitter!"

He laughed. "I'd like to think of it more as a bomb-sitter."

Kahn spoke before Linn could explode.

"I'll stay because Chihiro's staying. I know that she would show each one of us that courtesy."

Everyone was silent, but all seemed to be in a state of agreement. I was lost for words...

I had spent so long depending on all of them, I hadn't realized that they depended on me just as much. I didn't think they ever would, despite the fact I had been rising above, and fighting to become stronger.

Haku spoke. "Well it's settled then, we're all staying."

Boh came out of his room. "You mean you're all staying!? Hooray!"

"Ah! I forgot about him!" Linn exclaimed.

Boh's eyes went wide.

"Wow Linn, I didn't know you liked poetry! That was amazing!"

Linn blinked. "Uhm, excuse me...?"

"Hold on, I'm gonna tell no face what you just said, and he'll write it down for you."

And with that, Boh went back into his room.

Kuhn scoffed. "Oh, so now she's the poetic one!?"

Linn laughed. "Yep, looks like I'm the better No-Facer. Or at least the less perverted one."

Kuhn gave a look of defeat. "Could it get any more backwards?"

Haku sighed. "I'm not even sure if I want to know..."

"Agreed." Said Kahn. "I suggest we all have a light lunch, and begin our training as soon as possible."

I nodded. "That sounds good, I'm actually really hungry."

It was true, I hadn't eaten since yesterday morning, and I was starting to really feel it.

"I'll cook something for you... I mean, all of you. None of us can train on empty stomachs."

He began making a curried rice out of the available cooking materials. He added all kinds of delicious things into it, and just smelling the food made me very hungry.

Kahn walked over to me with a heaping plate of food.

"I hope you enjoy it..." He said, setting the plate in front of me.

"The food is ready, if you would all like to get some."

They all stood to ready their plates. Haku gave Kahn a strange look, but Kahn seemed to be ignoring it. I wonder what that was all about...?

The food was absolutely amazing, and I couldn't help but want more.

"That was great! I think I'll get seconds." I went to stand and fill my plate again, but Kahn spoke.

"I can get it." He said.

Haku stood. "No, allow me." He shot a look at Kahn.

"No, it's fine." Kahn said. "I am the host of this meal after all."

"Why so insistent, Kahn?" Said Haku, sounding a little more hostile than I was used to.

Zeniba and Linn watched with fascination as the scene unfolded.

Kuhn held his palm to his face. "Uh oh, this can't be good..."

I stood uncomfortably between them as the bickering continued, and honestly? I had lost my appetite. In fact, I was starting to get angry. Fighting like a bunch of pathetic children!

I snapped, and felt the dark energy rise within me once again.

"Now, now children..."

The room's attention was on me now, and all were silent.

"This is a pathetic display! You are both imbecilic apes... and I dislike that. I expected more from you, Lord Kahn, but it seems you have disappointed your queen yet again..."

Both Haku and Kahn were looking at me, trying to calm me down.

"Well... we can't have that, now can we?"

I extended my arm, preparing to crush them both with one spell...

...I felt a blast of magic hit the back of my head, and I was out.


	20. Chapter 20

****Hey readers, I read back on some of my earlier chapters, and I saw some spelling/word mistakes due to auto-correct. I am really sorry about that, and I'll try not to let that happen as much...**

 **Enjoy Chapter 20! :)****

Chapter 20: Poetry

I awoke on the ground, Zeniba staring over me.

"I assume that this was one of the reasons you sought my help?" She asked.

I nodded, grabbing the back of my head in pain.

"Yeah... that was another reason for coming."

I attempted to stand, but my legs felt weak, so I collapsed onto the ground again. Haku caught me.

"Sit still for a little while, no need to push yourself."

I sighed. "You're probably right."

Then I remembered what had happened before I turned dark.

"Now I have some advice for both you and Kahn." I began.

"I don't know what's going on between you two, but fighting with each other will get all of us killed no matter how hard we train. All of this work we're about to do will be for nothing if you two don't work together."

Haku was silent, but I could tell he was taking what I said in to consideration.

"I agree." Kahn said. "And I apologize for any rudeness."

Haku looked at Kahn warningly, then seemed to regain his composure.

"It's fine, and I apologize as well."

They had both apologized for the recent quarrel, but there was still a high amount of tension between them. Everyone could feel it.

Linn broke the silence. "Yeah! Haha... that's the spirit... hehe, let's just go train, alright...? Alright, I'm gonna go now... bye."

Linn left the house, and went outside.

Kuhn stood. "Yeah... What she said." Then he left too.

Both Kahn and Haku left as well, walking in separate directions.

"Well that was a mess..." I said aloud.

"It most certainly was!" Said Zeniba with amusement.

"And you have grown a lot my dear, and into such a strong and beautiful woman... you've made your granny very proud."

I was blushing slightly. "Well, I've definitely tried to make myself useful of that's what you're saying."

"Can you really not see it?" She asked.

"See what?" I asked curiously.

"You may have not picked up on it yet, but you're becoming quite the source of inspiration for all of your friends."

I stopped. "A source of... inspiration?"

I wasn't sure if I believed it.

"Yes dear, and you will continue to be that inspiring force. You seemed to have made yourself quite a presence since you've been gone Chihiro..."

I remembered when Kamachi had said that very same thing to me... The reality that he was gone had now just hit me.

But I couldn't break down anymore. If Zeniba was right, then I had to be strong.

A source of inspiration didn't have the option of crying.

No more tears...

No more weakness.

"Thanks." I said. "So when can we begin our training?"

Her face became serious. "We can begin training once I've sealed away the powers of your conflicting blood."

I thought about Kahn. I nodded. "That's fine, but can you seal off Kahn's too? We're the same in that way."

Zeniba blinked in surprise. "He is, is he? After all of the time I'd known him, I had not sensed this..."

She thought for a moment. "Very well, I will seal him once I'm done with you."

I smiled softly. "Thanks granny..."

She gave me an equally warm smile. "There it is, that smile, and what a lovely one at that."

She put a hand on my shoulder. "Never lose sight of it Chihiro, it will guide you through the most troubled of times."

Boh had burst out of his room, an excited look on his face.

"Well hello Boh! Did you finish Linn's poem?" Said Zeniba happily.

He nodded. "Yeah, and I'm going to show it to her right now!"

And with that, Boh left the house. No-Face was not far behind him.

Zeniba laughed. "Ah, Boh... Ever since he had ran away from my sister's bathhouse, he's been staying with me! I swear the boy eats a pantry and a half a day, but still, he's growing up to be a fine boy! Him and No-Face had become fast friends not long after he arrived... but I'm going off on a tangent, aren't I? Yes, I should be working on your seal right now."

I breathed nervously. "Alright then, let's do it."

She smiled. "Alright, you're going to feel a slight stabbing pain. Nothing too unbearable I assure you."

 _A slight stabbing pain!? That's a slight thing!? I was really starting to hate magic... God dammit, just... Fuck my life._

Boh ran outside, handing a piece of parchment to Linn. She held it in her hand.

"I'm telling you Kuhn." Said Linn with amusement.

"You've got to be one hell of a pervert!"

Kuhn groaned in annoyance. "Linn, I'm pretty sure that's not how it works. If anything, the cards have been reversed!"

She laughed. "You're just mad because I'm a No-Facian poet, and you're a No-Facian peeper!"

"Hey!" He yelled, slightly offended. "I would never commit an act of such disrespect! I could probably write better poetry than you too... just saying..."

"Umm... Linn? I brought you your poem." Said Boh, feeling slightly out of place at this point.

Linn looked at him. "I'm sorry Boh, I didn't see you there... here, I'll read it now."

...

 _Linn's Poem_

 _I see your smile, forced, and fake_

 _And tolerance completely feigned_

 _I see your struggles, all in vain_

 _Your crystal smile, porcelain face_

 _An empty mask, which held your eyes_

 _All a shell, a front, a lie_

 _You were to me, a valiant knight_

 _Your armor made you glow with might_

 _A ghost in armor, all I see_

 _An empty box of memories_

 _A porcelain shell_

 _Nothing inside_

 _A portrait of what once held life._

 _..._

Linn couldn't help but be reminded of the past, a past long before her days at the bathhouse. The reason she had been sent there in the first place.

She didn't want to remember it, to remember him.

She gave a cocky grin, handing the poem to Kuhn.

"Write a better poem than this, and then we can talk."

His eyes glanced over the sheet, and he laughed, but you could see he was nervous.

"Ha this!? I could write ten poems better than that!"

Boh giggled softly. "Yeah, good luck!"

Linn laughed. "Is that a challenge?"

"Yeah, and what if it is?" Kuhn said, pretending not to care either way.

Linn flipped her hair back and smiled smugly.

"I'll give you a week, because I'm nice to amateurs."

Kuhn laughed. "Ha, in a week I'll have a masterpiece ready! You, in your infinite wisdom, have just given the contest to me. In fact, I'm gonna start coming up with my amazing poem right now. Here's your poem back, by the way."

She faltered for a moment, then replaced it with a smile.

"Nah, you keep it. You'll need my masterpiece to remind you why you're going to lose!"

He smiled confidently. "We'll just see about that."

His confidence broke as he walked away from Linn. That poem was amazing, and he wasn't sure if he could top that at all. He actually didn't write poetry at all...

He looked at her poem again.

 _Linn... She looked different for a moment... didn't she? No, I must have been seeing things. Linn's probably not the kind to get all pent up over a poem... is she?_

 _What did she see in those words? Her face was... I don't even know how to describe it._

 _Could such a dark message really live inside of Linn...?_

Kuhn wasn't sure. He was sure that he couldn't lose this contest to Linn, so he had to write a poem...

...He had to write a masterpiece, and he only had a week to do it... Kuhn was starting to wonder what he'd gotten himself in to.


	21. Chapter 21

****I thought my poem in the last chapter was pretty good, I hope it was to everyone's liking.**

 **Now I'm on chapter 21, so I hope you all enjoy it! :)****

Chapter 21: Linn's trainer

Kahn and I had been sealed off from our imbalanced powers, and I was grateful to Zeniba. I was also right about stabbing pains... They aren't slight. Kahn seemed to have relaxed a little when the sealing was done. He had been acting pretty strange lately...

...Oh well, Kahn was always strange anyway. No need to question it now.

Haku was sitting under a tree, reading a large text book. I sat next to him.

"What are you reading?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Just an old book on river magic, I'm trying to see if I can sharpen my skills..."

I smiled. "That will sharpen your mind, but I think actual practice would sharpen your skills."

He grabbed the bridge of his nose. "Yes, but I can't effectively practice if I don't learn new spells."

"I guess that's true..." I said, thoughtful.

He smiled. "You know, you should probably get back to your training too."

I sighed. "You know I would, but Zeniba fell asleep right in the middle of explaining the importance of concentration..."

He stifled a laugh. "Okay, that is pretty funny, but don't you think you should wake her up?"

I gave an over dramatic sigh. "Fair enough... if you really want to get rid of me so badly... for a wizard book..."

He rolled his eyes. "It's a book on river magic, and it has some very useful spells."

I grabbed the wizard book from him, and held it above my head.

He laughed mischievously. "So we're doing this now?"

I smiled. "Yep, and if you want your wizard book back, you'll have to go through me!"

I evaded his attempts to grab the book, and I was doing pretty well. There was just one detail I forgot about...

...Haku was taller than me.

He went above my reach and reached for the book, and I pulled back, which sent us both falling. We tumbled a little, and rolled down a nearby hill.

Haku safely rolled to the bottom. I, however, shot off the side of the hill.

Haku was who I landed on.

I sat up. "Haku, are you okay!?"

He coughed a little, having had the wind knocked out of him. Then he smiled, and we both started laughing.

"Wow, sorry I landed on you." I said, still smiling.

He smiled warmly. "No, it's fine. Apparently I make a nice pillow."

I laughed again. Just being around Haku made me smile, I felt really happy.

He held a hand to my face. "You're beautiful Chihiro..."

He said it softly, and with such reverence.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, giving me soft kisses...

Trailing my jaw and neck with his lips...

It was as if I melted into him, feeling warmer with every touch.

"You're blushing..." He whispered. "I can feel your heart pounding in your chest..."

He kissed my neck, biting it softly...

I let out a small blissful moan...

...I just wish it could have lasted longer.

No one was around to disturb us, but with where we were living, we couldn't take things farther than this for now.

Almost unwillingly, we parted.

He let out a deep sigh, and I'm pretty sure he felt the same way I did.

He smiled. "I'm going to have to take cold showers daily, if I can hope to accomplish any training."

"Well, then I would suggest you get on that Haku."

I looked up, and we both jumped at the sight of Zeniba looking down at us.

...So much for being undisturbed.

Well, back to training.

I wonder how the others are doing?

...

Linn was wandering, but not too far from Zeniba's cabin. She was afraid that she would run into a tainted vessel again, and this time Kuhn wasn't here to fight them off...

She stopped herself.

 _Wait, why does he have to protect me?_

 _In fact, why would I trust him with my life? Why would I trust anyone with MY LIFE!?_ _He just wants to use me for his own personal gains!_

 _...But Kuhn...? He would never..._

 _She pushed aside that thought. No, all of them were the same._

 _All cheaters and liars..._

 _All gamblers and users._

 _All phonies and fakes!_

 _ALL PORCELAIN!_

Linn turned around and slammed her fist hard into a nearby tree. It left cuts on her hands.

"Dammit all to HELL! Damn you! Damn you Junichi!"

Linn sat on the shaded side of the tree, sobbing bitterly. She cursed herself for ever reading that poem. Cursed the poem for ever existing. Cursed the fact that all of it was true... and it wasn't only talking about Junichi. There was more truth to those words then she was willing to have anyone know. It was even more than Linn wanted to know, but deep down, she had always known. She wanted to escape into her charms and tough bravado, but there was no running away from this right now.

...All she could think about, all that was running through her head...

It was Junichi, her older brother. The only man she had ever looked up to, sold her life, and all on her father's orders. That was the day Linn realized, that everything he'd told her was a lie.

All of the promises he had made... worthless.

A man sat next to her, mumbling to himself.

"Hey, what do you want? And why the hell are you talking to yourself?"

He looked at her, and spoke.

"A cage within a cage, my soul, my mind, a cage within a house. The walls close, closing in, my mind, my cage, my maze with metal walls..."

Linn stared at this man, he was obviously a lunatic.

"Look guy, I've had enough poetry for one lifetime, so please don't do that.

He looked up at the sky, and he continued.

"Scrawling, clawing... crows at the mind, they scream the most melodic death notes. Poems rhyme, rhyme in time. Rhyming limes? Hmmmm... lemon lime..."

What in the hell was this guy even talking about? Linn didn't really know, nor did she feel like bantering with a madman.

She spoke aloud to herself. Even if the lunatic was listening, she doubted he could breathe a word of this, even if he tried.

She sighed. "I can't even throw a good punch, for all of the big talk I do. I can't even defend myself, so what good am I? I'm no good to anyone else if can't even manage that, You know what I mean?"

He nodded slowly, then stood.

His stance changed, and he seemed to thrust all of his force into one palm. It blew a hole through the middle of the tree.

She stood. "How did you that!?" She exclaimed.

He looked at her with a knowing smile.

"Words, words, moving trains they train the tracks. A woman, clinging words, training, words moving..."

He breathed in and out.

"You were sorrowful..."

Linn was starting to realize that there was more to this madman than meets the eye. No doubt he was completely insane, but apparently he was listening.

When she thought about it, everything he had been saying was like some kind of response. A response that had been chewed up and thrown into a malfunctioning blender...

But still, at least he was trying.

"You... You've been listening the whole time?"

He nodded. "Ears hearing, bleeding... bleeding heart's... did you know they grow nicest in spring? Springing up, up, up! Stand up! ...Try again, but not on trees."

It was strange, but Linn could somewhat decipher him.

 _Ears hearing... so he's definitely listening. I don't know if bleeding heart's had anything to do with anything. That must be the whatever the drugs are that he's taking!_

 _...No, hold on. It lead to spring, springing... then that lead to stand! Then he told me to stand up, and try again... but not on trees...?_

 _Oh! I get it!_

"Wait, so are you going train me!?"

He nodded. "Trains tracking, tracks moving... moving back, back tracks training words. Words and worth, worth saving? Who knows the reason? A hunch, were it to defend. ...You have the heart of a vanguard, my lady."

 _So sometimes what he says makes sense, but so far, it was only to tie his riddle speak together. He said he wants to train me, but what did he mean by 'moving back, back tracks training words'?_

 _...moving back words...?_

 _That must be it, he was wanting to go back to something I said..._

 _Words and worth, worth saving? ...hmmm... let's come back to that one._

 _Who knows the reason? A hunch, were it to defend..._

 _Defend! That's it! He's training me so I can protect my friends._

 _He said I had the heart of a vanguard, then he referred to me as, 'My lady'._

 _No one's done that since I was a child..._

Linn brushed that last part off. This guy was willing to train her, and seeing that hole he blasted through the tree? Well, how could she refuse?


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Inner Poem War

It had been six days now, and everyone had made progress on their training.

Chihiro was excelling in her magic, specifically in charm making and protective curses. Haku had been working on river magic, and skills in areas that he was less talented in before we're becoming more honed as the days passed. Kahn was taking time to hone his talents into a mastery. He was primarily focusing on getting more powerful spells with less wasteful mana usage. He also worked on mastery of stealth and silent attacks.

Kuhn had been training very hard on speed and precision. He figured this would greatly reduce the chances of his recent situation from ever happening again. Of course their was strength training, but Kuhn was also wracking his brain around his poem on his spare time.

He really didn't want Linn to beat him... He hadn't seen her in a while either, and this seemed to be unconsciously adding to his stress.

 _...Linn hasn't come home for nearly five days now..._

 _I know the others said that she's checking in with Zeniba every day, but still... what's going on with her?_

 _That's none of my business! If Linn wants to talk to me, she will... still, that doesn't exactly satisfy my curiosity..._

 _Hey! ...Shut up brain! It's none of you're damn business!_

 _...That sounds like something Linn would say._

Kuhn had to face it, he couldn't get her off of his mind right now.

 _It's just because she's hiding something, and I want to know how she connects to that poem..._

 _...Yeah, That has to be it._

He sighed. There was no use thinking about it now, he had a contest to win.

He held his pen to the blank sheet of parchment. All of the other attempts he had made were crumpled balls on the ground...

...He was going nowhere fast, and he only had a day left.

Kuhn thought back to when Linn gave away her poem. This fact was becoming more and more strange to him, because it seemed so out of character for her. Linn was the kind to keep her boastful accomplishments on hand, showing them off to the world with satisfied ease.

...That poem... Why would she trust him with a poem like that, let alone in a competition where he was competing with her?

Kuhn slapped a palm to his face.

"Ah, stop over thinking it. It's not that big of a deal..."

No-Face sat next to him, writing down something on a piece of...

 _Wait, did I just... I did, didn't I!?_

He smirked. "I guess there's hope for this bet after all."

He just hoped it didn't turn out like the last time...

No-Face handed him the parchment, and Kuhn read it.

...

 _A poem of Kuhn_

 _A goddess blinded by her mask_

 _The darkness blinds her from her light_

 _She's living on an empty flask_

 _When there's a river just in sight_

 _I see the glow, but do not touch_

 _A warmth that she cannot enjoy_

 _I wonder if she see's as much_

 _Through my own mask_ _that I employ_

 _Break the cycle of these stars_

 _To find the face behind the mask_

 _Though if I find myself a far_

 _Will these same stars smile at last_

 _Or will she first gaze on my hands_

 _And see the stains of all their deeds_

 _And never to be seen again_

 _The starlight of the sky recedes..._

 _...A crafted mask is still a mask. It's not me._

 _Not_ _that it matters, all is lost when the host believes the lies._

 _..._

Kuhn stared at this poem with unblinking eyes, thoughts and emotions racing through his head. This confirmed that Linn's poem had more to do with her then she would admit...

...He looked at his poem again...

 _I can't..._

 _...I can't win this competition with this poem._

 _(I couldn't do that to Linn.)_

 _Wait, what would I be doing to Linn? She asked for the contest! I can't just show her I'm weak!_

 _(Why not? Either way I'm being weak. Either I forfeit the competition, or I show her my poem.)_

 _I could pull off losing without killing my pride!_

 _(What pride? Where is pride without honor...? It is faceless.)_

 _Shut up! That's not it at all!_

 _(This decision... it reminds me of the time when we were faced with the tainted.)_

 _What!? No, this is nothing like that!_

 _(I protected her, kept her safe.)_

 _This is different!_

 _(I kept her warm...)_

 _She asked for this!_

 _(All talk... It was all a lie, and she's suffering because of it.)_

 _She wanted this!_

 _(She never really wanted this... those eyes...)_

 _Shut up! SHUT UP!_

Kuhn held his head in his hands. He really didn't want to think about this at all, but it was going to happen whether he liked it or not. This was causing him a great amount of stress...

...A thought occurred to him.

If he was a complete mess over his inner poem, what was Linn going through right now?

 _I really shouldn't, should I? No, I could never hurt Linn..._

 _What's so bad about Linn anyway? What's been keeping me from pursuing her besides this baseless pride? Why have I been so stubborn with myself, when really...?_

 _I think she's really wonderful..._

 _...Well, so much for pride._

Kuhn decided that he would not win this competition, but he did want to give her something. He took his pen, and wrote on the blank sheet of parchment.

...

 _Linn, I tried to write a poem. I failed miserably..._

 _The funny thing is, I lied about my amazing poetry skills. I actually really suck at poetry._

 _Can you write poetry like that in real life, because I sure can't! Nah, I'd rather ram my fist through a practice dummy, or throw kunai at a target._

 _So yes you beat me... this time._

 _Where have you been anyway? I'm starting to think you've been turned into a ghost..._

 _...Oh wait..._

 _(Get it? Ghost?)_

 _Sincerely:_

 _-Kuhn_

 _..._

He really hoped that it would put her in a good mood when she read it. He gave it to Zeniba, so the next time she checked in, she would have it.

Kuhn felt his face grow hot...

He was willing to let his pride go so he could pursue Linn, but would she accept that?

As of now, he was starting to get really nervous.


	23. Chapter 23

_****UPDATE: Hey guys, so there is a Riddle for you guys in this chapter... it has actually been there awhile. I figure it was too subtle to notice right out, but now I am placing incentive. :) If you figure out the Riddle Man's Riddle for Linn, post it as a review on this chapter. If any one can figure this out, I will literally work my tail off to finish book three, and start an amazing spin off book. Here, I'll give you a head start. The Riddle is contained in the paragraph that starts like:**_ ** _"The rain, rain, falling raining falls. Falling into sorrow. ..."_**

 ** _Good luck, and enjoy Chapter 23! :)**_**

Chapter 23: Linn's Rage

Linn had been training day and night for a week now, and she hadn't been home in a day or two. It was all, for the most part a good experience. She was usually so tired by the end of the day, that her sleep was tired and dreamless.

Last night was different.

Linn decimated the wooden target in front of her. She realized soon after her first lesson, that strength had almost nothing to do with this. It was all in the momentum of the blow, and using the mass of the target against itself.

She angrily tore apart target after target, feeling the hatred pouring into each blow. Her trainer grabbed her hand.

"What is it now Riddle Man? I'm doing it right, aren't I?" Linn had made a habit of calling him 'Riddle Man', due to his roundabout way of saying things. He never really gave her his name, so to her, that was his name.

"Fire burns, burning... brewing, stewing, a good stew is a blessing on cold nights, night and darkness, for inner cold brings outer freeze... frozen, time is frozen, a lonely time she see's, seeing, eyes... they are filled with hate, and love is held in vain, when guarded by hatred."

Linn had gotten to the point where she knew exactly what he was saying, and could hold a conversation with him.

"What makes you think I'm so lonely? I'm just mad, that's all."

She thought about that last part.

"I guess you've got a point about anger clouding my judgement, and all that jazz. I just can't help it right now, today's just one of those days..."

He put a hand on her shoulder.

"The rain, rain, falling raining falls. Falling into sorrow. The fall of his mind sorrows, apologies to the wind, winds of change... Sorrow unspoken trials. I am... Joined. Under the bridge. Nightfall swallows him in a cold embrace. Ice holds him here. Cracks form in his resolve. He, in his attempt at salvation, falls through these cracks, cracks in the porcelain mask. In this act of mercy he is no more, nor was he ever..."

He stared out into the sky, his face withdrawn.

Linn was silently observing him. Not only did she misunderstand him completely, she had never seen him this sad.

Sorrow...

"Why are you sorry? It's not you're fault."

He sighed. "A train, training moving train tracks... tracks train stopping..."

Linn froze.

"You want to stop training me!? ...Riddle Man why...?"

He was silent, his face looked troubled.

"Hey, I really didn't mean to upset you so bad. Why don't we keep on training, and I promise I won't-"

"No Linn." He said, cutting her off.

That caught her by surprise. He had never interrupted her, and he was never so direct in saying things. He said her name...

...How did he know her name!?

He always reffered to her as, 'My lady'. Now that she thought about it, this was only something she knew about from her past. She had never told anyone else, and she never told this Riddle Man her name.

"Who in the hell are you anyway!? I never told you my name! How do you know so damn much about me!?"

Linn glared at him. "I can't believe that you're just giving up now, and that I actually thought..."

Linn felt tears falling down her face, and she couldn't control them.

"Damn you! All of you! Every single lying piece of you, YOU LIAR!"

She ran off.

 _I knew I shouldn't have trusted him. All of them are the same, no matter how you slice it! Why did I ever believe he was different!?_

 _...Why...? Just this once, why couldn't he have been different?_

 _Everyone I know has found someone who wouldn't give up on them. God, even Chihiro found people..._

 _Then why!?_

 _Why is it always ME who has to be alone!?_

Linn ran past Kuhn, who had been looking for her.

"Linn! What's the matter, did something happen!?"

She kept on running.

Kuhn ran next to her, keeping her pace. She looked away from him.

"Linn, come on, tell me what's wrong?"

She stopped and turned to face him.

"Why, so you can act like you care!?" She yelled.

"Linn, I do care." He tried.

"Just shut up!" She barked. "You're all nothing but a bunch of liars!"

Kuhn was an honest person, and for Linn to label him like this? It was infuriating.

"Well, if that's what you think, then fine. However, if you really expect me or anyone to put up with the way you treat people? You're out of your damn mind! I get that you've had a bad day, but don't take it out on me."

He shoved the letter he had written in her hand.

"Take this, it was for you anyway. Oh, and about spending two days looking to make sure you were okay? You're welcome."

She stood there as he walked away, paralyzed, and unable to respond.

She lifted the crumpled piece of parchment, and unfolded it, reading it's contents. She couldn't help but smile at the last part, Kuhn was such a dork sometimes...

All this time he was just thinking about what might cheer her up.

She felt more tears coming...

 _No! I don't deserve to be the one crying over this. Kuhn has every right to be angry, and after the way I acted, I should be ashamed..._

 _I'm such a horrid birch sometimes!_

 _(Don't talk about yourself like that Linn...)_

Now his words were making their way into her mind, questioning everything she's ever known. She knew she had to apologize to him, but she didn't know where to start. She didn't want to face him right now, or anyone else for that matter. She spent the rest of her day, sitting under a shaded tree. She used this time to think, and eventually fell asleep.

...

Kuhn was sitting at the table with the others, eating a noodle dish that Chihiro had made. It was pretty good, and seemed to bring up his mood.

"Hey Kuhn, did you have any luck finding Linn today?" Asked Haku.

There went his mood, right out of the window.

"Yeah, I found her. She just forgot to check in, but she's fine."

Kuhn was probably the only one who didn't hear how monotone he was.

The table split into separate conversations, and Kuhn was the only one not speaking. When everyone had retired for the night, Kahn tapped him on the shoulder.

"Kuhn, do you want to talk about something?"

Kuhn stood. "Actually, I'm kind of tired, so no thanks."

Kahn sat him back down in his chair, and took a seat in front of him.

"You're not fooling me, brother, nor will you ever. What's wrong?"

He looked down, but was silent.

"Did something happen between you and Linn?"

Kuhn gave a deep and mournful sigh.

"I don't know why, but she hates me. What did I do?"

Kahn laughed softly. "I doubt she hates you."

"But you should have seen it Kahn! I just asked her what was wrong, and she completely... I'm telling you, she hates me."

"You're inlove with her, aren't you?" Said Kahn.

Kuhn turned beet red. "No, that's not it! I just... Okay, maybe a little."

Kahn looked up thoughtfully. "My guess is, that her outburst had nothing to do with you."

"I know." Said Kuhn sadly. "I don't want to talk to her right now though, I think it would just make her more upset."

Kahn nodded. "That's probably true."

Kuhn looked even more saddened by that.

"Try talking to her tomorrow, I'm sure she'll have calmed down by then."

Kuhn nodded. "Alright, I'll give it a try tomorrow."

He was eventually able to get some rest, and sleep brought calming thoughts, cleansing yesterday's sorrows.


	24. Chapter 24

****Thank you everyone for showing interest in my fan fiction. Reviews are welcome, and if you have any complaints, please let them be constructive. I mean, I can't stop those who want to post hate, but I won't make any changes for those who want to be hateful. There's a reason I took this long to suggest reviews. Hate is nerve wracking, just saying.**

 **But in any case, those of you who enjoy my story, keep reading! I'll keep writing.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 24! :)****

Chapter 24: The Riddle Man

Kuhn woke up feeling refreshed, and he was pretty sure he would talk to Linn today. He remembered where she was found yesterday, so he figured she couldn't be far from there.

Kuhn wondered what she had been up to this past week, it couldn't have all been bad.

 _I wonder what she's thinking about right now... I hope she's not still mad at me. She was crying yesterday..._

 _I hope she's alright, but she looked really out of it._

 _Linn... I hope you're okay._

He had decided to eat a light breakfast, and go look for her. He was going to make things right today, and he wouldn't stop until he'd achieved this...

Poor Kuhn. For all of his chivalry and determination... He could never be prepared for what was coming.

There are some things that not even he could make right... He had no idea.

...

Linn had woken up in her spot under the tree. She stretched her arms, and felt the most horrible pop in her neck.

"Ow, damn!" She exclaimed. "I'm never sleeping here again, that's for sure!"

She remembered her conversation with the Riddle Man yesterday, and frowned.

 _I left that on a really bad note..._

 _Maybe he would still be willing to train me if I apologized. He was probably having a bad day, just like me. I bet he feels just as bad as I feel, and I'm sure we'll work things out._

Now that she thought about it, he looked pretty miserable yesterday.

When she thought deeper, she realized how hard all of this must be for him. He had a hard time communicating as it is.

He must have been through the worst parts of he'll and back, as fragmented as he is.

Linn had to make this right. She had to.

She knew that he spent most of his time near where they trained... She wasn't sure where, but he couldn't be that hard to miss.

She stood and began to walk toward the direction of their training site...

A root caught her foot, and she tripped.

She grabbed her ankle painfully, pretty sure it was sprained. Linn wasn't normally clumsy...

"Was that there before...?"

She shrugged this odd feeling off, and continued to walk toward the site.

Her ankle hurt to walk on... oh well. She had about half a kilometre up hill, but that wouldn't stop her. She was going to make it up to Riddle Man no matter what.

She was about an eighth of the way up the hill, when she lost her footing on a mud hole and tumbled down to the bottom.

Her ankle hurt like hell, and now she had pulled a muscle in her left arm.

Then she realized that there shouldn't be any mud on the ground right now.

...it hadn't rained in weeks.

Linn felt this sudden panic, mixed with a sinking feeling.

She bolted up the hill, clawing at the ground each time she fell. She was going to make it up this hill, and it shouldn't have been so difficult.

She was about half way up, and going strong, until something caused her to fall.

The ground shot up and knocked Linn back down the hill.

If Linn was suspicious before, she was sure now...

...Riddle Man was in danger, and she had to get up that hill now.

Though this was easier said than done. As Linn fell a quarter of a kilometre down the hill, it wasn't long before the fall had knocked her out.

...

Kuhn was at the spot where they had fought. There was a nice sized willow tree there, and he remembered that specific landmark. He had searched near the area for a while now, but couldn't find her.

He sat under the tree, and rested.

"Linn, where are you now? Why are you so hard to find when I'm looking for you?"

He looked to the side, and saw this root jutting unnaturally out of the ground. There was a muddy slide mark next to it, and it resembled a foot print...

 _Wait, mud!? There shouldn't be mud right now, the ground should be bone dry!_

Kuhn was starting to get a really bad feeling. He determined the direction of the footprint, and followed it. He came up to the base of this hill, and saw someone curled up on the ground...

It was Linn.

He ran up to her and knelt beside her. She was holding the her head with both hands and seemed to be very dazed.

"Linn, talk to me, what happened?" He tried to stay calm, searching for any nearby threats.

"Kuhn...? I'm sorry." She said, her words soft and slightly slurred.

He stroked her hair with his fingers. "No, it alright, really... just hold still, and I'll carry you back. You've got quite the concussion..."

"No... take me up that hill..." She said, pointing a shaking finger up at the top.

"I've got to make sure you're safe, we can go up there after-"

"No! Kuhn, you don't get it!" She was louder now, her words becoming more slurred as she panicked.

"The Riddle Man is up there, he's gonna die if I don't..." Her eyes became more withdrawn, as if she had forgotten what she was thinking.

She looked up the hill again, and spoke.

"Hey Kuhn... Can you take me up that hill? Someone I know is in trouble..."

Kuhn had an extremely bad feeling about her request, but he decided to listen to her.

"Alright, but we'll have to be fast."

He began his ascent up the hill, when the ground seemed to sink under his left foot.

He quickly pulled it out, and continued up, when the ground attempted to grab him.

He evaded it, and started running up the hill. Looks like this hill was what hurt Linn, and if he tried to go back down he was afraid they'd fall. The race up this hill became more and more treacherous by the second, and Kuhn was grateful he had trained in speed and evasion. It was coming in good hand right about now!

They were almost to the top, and the hill had seemed to calm. As he reached the top on flat ground, a large wall of ground surrounded them.

Linn stood, refusing to be carried from this point on. She went into her stance that the Riddle Man had taught her, and completely destroyed the wall.

Kuhn watched in awe as she did this. As far as he saw, she shouldn't be standing. He walked through the hole Linn had made...

He saw the scene before him, and he froze.

Linn stumbled toward the oak tree where they practiced for hours every day. She felt a sharp pain in her ankle, and caught her self on a nearby rope...

 _...Good thing that rope was there, or I would have..._

"This wasn't... it wasn't here..."

She fell to her knees, and was met by the noose at the end of the rope...

On the ground were envelopes scattered on the ground... Linn picked one up to open it, and realized it was already open.

A familiar heart stamp was on the letter...

She unfolded it, and began to read.

...

 _Dear big brother Junichi,_

 _I haven't heard from you in a long time... Why did you stop writing me letters? You promised you'd write, and I know you're probably really busy with big lord stuff and papers. I know you'll write back as soon as you read this, cause you always keep you're promises! I gave you this letter with a heart stamp, because it's a kiss from me to you..._

 _I know that you'll come one day, and save me from this awful place. Maybe the next time we see eacother, you can show me how to become a warrior princess, so we can fight and be awesome together!_

 _I love you so much, and I hope you come soon._

 _Love:_

 _You're sis, Linn._

 _..._

She shook, the letter clutched in her hand, as her entire world fell and crumbled before her feet.

She let out one sickened and anguished scream...

...and the world around her was swallowed in black.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Unspoken Words

We had all been wondering about where Kuhn was this morning, and when Kahn told us that he was looking for Linn again, I couldn't help but smile.

It was so obvious that he was head over heels for her. As far as I was concerned, it was only a matter of time.

We were all eating lunch, and the table conversations were light and pleasant.

"Do you think he's found her yet?" Asked Haku.

I laughed. "I'm sure he's found her, I think they're probably working on making up right about now."

Haku stifled a laugh.

Boh smiled. "I'm sure they've worked things out already, I wouldn't think it would take them too long."

Kahn was grinning now.

"Oh no, not at all. I'd say they probably finished that up when Kuhn finished-"

I gave him a warning look, it told him there were children in the room.

"Ahem, when he finished apologizing to Linn... he's really good at apologies."

I slapped my palm to my face, and now both Haku and Kahn were grinning.

"I don't get it..." Said Boh with confusion.

"Ah." Replied No-Face.

"So it's not appropriate for children? Then why are they talking about it at the table!?"

"Ah, ah." He said.

"Oh... That makes sense." He continued to grin childishly, confusing the hell out of Kahn and Haku.

I stared out of the window. I really hoped they would be back soon, it had been awhile since Kuhn left...

...A figure appeared in the distance. It was Kuhn, and he was carrying Linn.

I stood, and ran out of the door. The others were soon to follow.

We ran up to them... Kuhn walked right past us.

I did a quick vital scan, something I'd learned recently in training.

No one was severely injured, but Kuhn wasn't saying a word to us about what happened.

Haku and Zeniba worked on healing any minor injuries she had, Kuhn sat with them.

...He had a haunting look in his eyes.

They carried her to the spare room Kuhn usually slept in. He followed them, and stayed with Linn while Haku and Zeniba left the room.

"What happened...?" I asked.

Haku was silent for a moment.

"I'm not exactly sure... I tried to look into Linn's mind, but..."

He was silent.

"Whatever they had seen, Kuhn didn't seem to want anyone else to know." Zeniba finished the statement.

Not knowing what more to say, we all went back to training. I was getting a good handle on curses and charms, so we were moving on to a different approach at magic.

Zeniba began the lesson. "Up until now, you have used your own source of mana to cast your spells. Am I correct?"

I nodded.

"Well, today we are going to delve into an art known as, mana drawing."

"What's mana drawing?" I asked curiously.

"Mana drawing, is when you are able to draw up and utilize your opponent's mana."

I cringed. "Doesn't that seem just a little invasive...?"

She smiled. "Oh yes, it's absolutely invasive! However, so are curses... That never seemed to stop you though, did it?"

I sighed. "Alright, you have a point there."

"Now then." She continued. "When you draw up someone's mana, you can do one of two things with it. Either you can syphon it from them, or hold it there and observe its capabilities. This is harder, because you are searching into the history of that mana pool."

"What will we be starting with?" I asked.

She laughed. "Oh Chihiro, you should know well enough by now how I train you."

So we were starting with the harder lesson, of course.

She grinned. "In this lesson, you will be practicing on me."

I stopped. "On you? But couldn't that hurt you if I don't get it right!?"

"Well, then you'd better get it right." She said with a smile. "Because you'll be expected to do it correctly thirty times today."

I sighed. "Right, of course I will."

She showed me the technique used to activate this spell, then I began to practice on Zeniba as she sat in a chair.

...Lucky old bag...

I drew up her mana, and attempted to hold it there. It seemed the farther I pulled it out, the more it was pulling toward me. If I pushed it back, I completely lost my hold.

This was very hard.

Zeniba gave an overdrawn yawn, and I felt my own irritation rising. This time I would show this old woman what her own mana looks like.

I concentrated on not losing my hold, and I came to a breakthrough. It wasn't about how hard you pulled, it was about how steady your hold was!

I drew her mana out, and looked at it. She knew things about magic that I didn't even know were possible...

I let go of my hold, releasing her mana back into her body.

"Well done Chihiro, I must say I'm impressed."

I smiled. "Thanks granny, that means a lot coming from you."

She laughed. "Alright then, again."

 _...Great, one down, twenty nine to go. It was going to be a long day._

...

Kuhn sat in a chair next to Linn. His head was hung, and his heart filled with sorrow.

 _Linn... What you've been through now, I don't ever want to know what that's like..._

 _To lose someone so precious to you... someone you fought harder than your very last limit to protect. It's just maddening to think about._

 _...What if it were Kahn on the other end of that rope? I could never forgive myself._

 _Something about this situation seems even worse though. It's almost like there was something unresolved between them. Judging by how Linn was acting yesterday, I'm starting to see that this is most likely the case._

 _Judging from the letters I saw, she had no idea who he was until he was gone._

 _...We both had such a hard time getting up that hill..._

 _Was Linn's brother trying to protect her from what she found...?_

This stirred up strange thoughts and emotions for Kuhn, and he took a moment of pause.

Could their be a life after this one? Now that he looked at it, this world of theirs was starting to seem less and less like an afterlife.

Granted, no one died of old age, and they were all considered to be spirits to humans.

The more he thought about it, the more clear this reallity became. This place wasn't a spirit world or a human world, but something in between...

Like a place where spirits take form, and he couldn't believe that no one else had come to this conclusion.

In the end each one of them could die, because from the moment they entered this world, they were no longer full fledged spirits.

Even Haku, who was originally a river spirit of the earth. Not even him.

There was a reason that none of them could leave this place, and everyone was too blind to see it for what it was.

If it wasn't a human world, nor a spirit world, then there was only one place they could be.

...This was the in between world, and they were all in purgatory.


	26. Chapter 26

****In my opinion, this story has gone farther from where it started. I am so glad that I kept writing, because I wasn't sure I would ever make it this far. I've never really finished a story that I start, so even though it's only a fan fiction, I'm proud of it.**

 **It makes me glad to know that what I'm writing is being recieved, thanks for giving my story a chance.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 26! :)****

Chapter 26: Weakness

It had been two days now, and I had been training vigorously in the art of mana drawing. Zeniba seemed to become more impressed with my progress every day, and it was true, I was working extremely hard.

Kuhn was also starting to worry me.

He had been watching over Linn for these two days, and apparently neither of them have spoken a word at all. I was taking a break right now, so I went in to check on him.

He looked very worn, and he hadn't touched the food he was given. He was instead, trying to get Linn to eat.

"Linn, please... You have to eat something."

Linn looked like a person I had never met. She had dark, hollow circles under her eyes, her hair was unkempt, her skin was a sickly pale, and her expression was withdrawn.

I walked over to them.

"Uh... Hey Kuhn, Linn, I was just... sorry if I'm bothering you, I just wanted to see how you were."

I was nervous, because I wasn't sure if they were ready to talk yet.

Kuhn's eyes softened, and he spoke.

"No, it's alright... You're not bothering anyone."

Just looking at how much pain they were in, it made me want to break down...

 _No, not now! Especially not now! I have to be strong for them, and I have to..._

 _What am I supposed to do? I have no idea what even happened. I can't help anyone if I'm kept in the dark..._

 _...But being weak won't help either, I have to be strong._

"Can you please tell me what happened to you guys? I can't help you if I don't know anything."

Kuhn sighed. "I wasn't asking for help."

"Don't be like that..." I pleaded.

"It's Linn's business, and it's none of yours. I don't want your help."

That stung, but I couldn't let it end there.

"I just don't like seeing you-"

"Chihiro, I already told you my answer! So knock it off!" He yelled.

 _So now it's okay to cast me aside and make me useless? I see how it is._

"So you have to yell at me!? Well what did I do to deserve that!? I get that you're going through something horrible, but don't take it out on me! If you're going to sit here and treat me like I'm a clueless idiot, you only have yourself to blame for that! How do you expect me to feel when I see my friends in turmoil, and then I'm kept in the dark like this? Well, we only have seventeen days left to train. If you're going to mope for the entirety of it, we're going to die! You can mope for all I care, I'm going to make some use of myself!"

I stormed out of the room, and felt hot tears press behind my eyes.

Haku walked up to me.

"Chihiro, why were you yelling in there? Is something-"

"I'm sorry Haku." I said, trying to be as calm as possible.

"I really don't want to talk about it right now."

The tears continued to build, but I suppressed them. It caused physical pain behind my eyes. There was no way I was going to crack...

No way.

...

Kuhn instantly felt bad for what he had said. It was true, he was stressed, but he knew he had acted way out of line.

"She's right you know..." Said Linn softly, this was the first time he had heard her speak since the situation with her brother.

"I know, and I acted like an ass just now..."

Linn sat up. "Well, at least you realize what you did. No point in beating yourself up over it now."

She grabbed the plate of food he had handed her, and started to eat a small amount of it.

"That girl sends one hell of an aura..."

She looked at him.

"I really think we should keep trying, she's right. I don't want to be the reason the world ends."

Kuhn knew that she was right, but this didn't ease his guilt.

What Chihiro said had reached Linn when nothing else seemed to work. Despite that, he knew that she was probably feeling pretty useless right about now.

She gave a sad smile.

"You know, what she said just then? It reminded me of what you told me. Damn, you really need to take your own advice."

He sighed. "Yeah, I did say something like that, didn't I?"

She looked down. "I wish I would have listened to you sooner... The last thing I told Junichi, was that he was a Liar. It's my fault he's gone."

There were tears brimming from her eyes.

"All he ever wanted was to make my damn wish come true, even if it was in a stupid letter I wrote when I was eight!"

She began to tremble, then burst into tears.

"I'm a horrible person Kuhn!"

He wrapped her in a firm, but gentle hug.

"Linn... You're not horrible."

He stroked her hair. For some reason, Linn found this soothing.

"You fought tooth and nail to get up that hill. Even when you were knocked down, you never took your eyes off of your goal... That goal was to save someone precious to you, no matter what the cost."

Linn had stopped shaking, and began to fully listen to what he was saying.

"You fought past your limits, even when you shouldn't have been moving. You broke right through the obstacle that was keeping you from your goal. You were forced to face what you saw and carry a horrible burden... Yet, here you are acting on the wisdom of Chihiro's words. ...That is the bravest thing I've ever seen."

She had stopped crying completely, and looked at Kuhn.

She leaned in, and gave him a soft kiss.

 _Thank you Kuhn..._

He brushed his lips softly against hers, softly raking his fingers down her back.

 _No... thank you._

They eventually came out of the room and continued to train, keeping Chihiro's words close to their hearts.

...

I was calm, very calm. I still cared about Kuhn and Linn very much, and it was wrong of me to yell at him like that. I couldn't afford to get angry like that anymore, because it just made things worse.

I could not be kept in the dark, but they didn't want to tell me anything. Even if I found out through other means, they couldn't know that I pried. It would only cause more unnecessary anger.

Did I really need to tell them I knew if I pried? Even being aware of the situation would help me understand how to better handle it.

I had an idea, and if it worked, I could get the information I needed.

It would involve utilizing the ability to draw mana, and augmenting it slightly. This would be an extremely invasive tactic, but I no longer cared. If I did this right, it would be so subtle that no one would have to know.

I would have to wait until nightfall, when everyone had gone to sleep.

"Hey Chihiro, um..." It was Kuhn. I turned to face him.

"Yes, what is it?" I asked.

"I'm sorry about what I said to you earlier." He said.

"I'm not mad." I replied. "I'm sorry for escalating the situation."

He looked at me curiously.

"Are you okay Chihiro...? You're acting kind of strange."

I shrugged. "I don't feel strange, I just feel calm now."

He kept a steady gaze on me.

"Alright then, as long as you're sure."

He walked away after that.

Could he be on to my plan? No, that's not it. However, I was sure that now I had to be extra careful.

...

Haku was leaning against a wall of the cabin, his eyes filled with thought.

He had already spoken with Kuhn and Linn about Chihiro, and he wasn't happy with Kuhn in the least bit. He did seem to show remorse for it, but that doesn't change the fact that he was wrongfully hurtful to her. As far as Haku was concerned, she deserved the highest of apologies.

Kuhn walked up to him, he looked worried.

Haku still wasn't overly pleased with him right now, but he didn't dislike Kuhn either.

"Haku, I'm starting to get worried about Chihiro."

Haku looked up at him. "Worried? What's going on?"

"She was acting strange when we talked." He said.

"I wouldn't be shocked if she was mad at you." Said Haku, a hint of bitterness slipping out.

"That's just it..." said Kuhn nervously.

"She didn't seem mad, or sad, and the way she was talking..."

Haku had a feeling he knew what Kuhn was implying... but he deeply hoped it wasn't that.

"What are you saying...?" He asked, dreading the answer.

Kuhn let out a low and solemn breath.

"I think she might be shutting out her emotions... whether she's aware of it, I'm not sure."

 _Well, if she's subconsciously doing it, then it's most likely related to stress._

 _...Stress that was recently felt because of a certain argument. Damn him. If he really didn't want to tell her, why couldn't he have just been quiet!_

"Well, I'd say it doesn't matter if she's consciously doing it or not. She's doing it, and I think it's because she could be stressed. Know anything about that?"

"I tried apologizing, but-"

"Sometimes that's not enough Kuhn." Said Haku, cutting him off.

"You'll have to come up with something better."

Haku walked away, most likely to find Chihiro. Kuhn was suddenly reminded of a rack of kunai knives back at the bathhouse.

He realized that both Haku and Linn were right. Sometimes sorry wasn't enough, and he really did need to take his own advice.

...

I was sitting near a pond, thinking about how I could do this without getting caught...

 _I know that I'll have to change the spell formula slightly, drawing out memories instead of mana..._

 _The problem is that it's not usually a subtle spell. It involves pulling out mana, or in this was memories. I'm sure both can be felt._

 _...Wait, what if instead of pulling out his memories, I keep my hold on them, and pull myself into his memories? Then it would depend on my own subtlety, not the spell's._

"Chihiro, there you are... May I sit?"

It was Haku. Why did he even have to ask?

"Of course." I said.

He sat next to me, and held my hand.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, why would I be not okay?"

I was okay, there was nothing wrong with overcoming weakness. Nothing.

He sighed. "Chihiro, none of us are completely fine. We're all struggling somewhere."

I unknowingly pulled my hand away from his.

"I know that you're all struggling, but I can't. It's my turn to be strong now."

"What are you saying Chihiro? You've always been strong!"

He grabbed my hands and held them in his.

"You were never weak... is that what you thought? Did I make you feel that way...?"

Haku was blaming himself for thinking he hurt my feelings. This is why I had to become stronger, so no one could blame themselves over what I'd done.

No more anger...

No more tears...

No more baseless remorse...

No more suffering...

No more weakness...

...No more imperfection.

"You never made me feel that way." I said, my hands limp in his.

"Don't worry, I'll become stronger."

He wrapped his arms around me, I could feel tears streaming down his face.

"Chihiro... You're stronger than anyone I've ever met. Please stop this."

I felt a pang in my chest, and tried to suppress.

"Why didn't you tell me you were hurting this badly?"

I was silent.

"Please... just talk to me. Talk about anything you'd like."

I felt tears pressing again, I stayed silent.

"Please..." He begged. "I know it hurts, but I... I can't lose you like this! You're shutting yourself off like this and I'm afraid..."

Haku...? He was afraid?

"I'm afraid if this goes on too long, I'll never see that smile again..."

Thoughts were spinning in my head, and I couldn't stop them.

 _"There it is, that smile..."_

 _Zeniba..._

 _"You've gained quite a presence..."_

 _No, not really._

 _"You've gained quite a presence since the last time you were here, eh Chihiro?"_

 _Kamachi..._

 _"Never lose sight of that smile..."_

 _Smile...?_

 _"The way your eyes light up when you smile..."_

 _Haku... My eyes?_

 _"And such lovely eyes..."_

 _No, stop._

 _"You ready to die yet, wench?"_

 _No, go away!_

 _"Wench!"_

 _Go away!_

 _"You have no appreciation for the people around you!"_

 _Stop! Go away!_

 _(Wench! brat! Freak! Failure! HOPELESS! VICTIM!)_

 _STOP IT!_

I was shaking, unable to lose these thoughts. No matter how hard I tried now, tears were flowing steadily out. Haku held me close to him.

"It's going to be alright now... I love you... I'll stay with you as long as you want."

I began to let out small sobs.

"Shhh... I'm here. I'm always here..."

I curled into him and started to cry, really cry. He held me in his arms and soothed me. Kissing the top of my head softly, and whispering that he loved me.

 _...I love you Haku. I'll always love you._


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Wraith Riding

The morale seemed to have risen in the past three days. I was feeling a lot better than I was, and Haku was to thank for that.

I still felt somewhat guilty about that plan I had made. I never went through with it, but the fact that I had even considered it...

It was wrong.

Zeniba was giving me a small break from my training. She said it was because my next lesson was in alchemy, and she didn't have the supplies to teach me.

My kimono that I usually wore was under repair by Zeniba, because apparently the Myrma's we encountered had broken the spell on it.

I was currently wearing a sun dress she had provided me. It started out a little large, but she used magic to change its size.

Now it was a form fitting dress, and I liked how I looked in it.

I paced around the cabin. No one was home right now, and I was painfully bored. Zeniba was out near her 'special spring' repairing the spell on my kimono. Boh was playing, No-Face was with him, and everyone else was training.

I had already practiced everything I knew, and now I was bored.

I was painfully aware of how bored I was...

Bored...

"Agh! Come on Zeniba hurry up! I'm dying here..."

Haku laughed softly.

"Wow, she's still gone huh?"

I gave a groan of dismay. "Yes... She's being very slow, and it's driving me insane!"

I felt a bead of sweat drip down my brow.

"It's so hot today. I swear, at the rate she's moving, I'll melt before I can wear my kimono..."

Haku grinned.

"Really? It's hot? And here I was thinking it was just you."

I slapped a palm to my face.

"Haku... Really?"

He laughed. "I thought it was a pretty good line."

I rolled my eyes. "You mean that you thought it was a pretty good pun?"

He slid his hands down my waist.

"Okay, here's a better one. I'll make sure you melt before you can wear your kimono."

He pulled me firmly against him.

"How does that sound...?"

I felt my face grow hot. I hadn't realized how much I had craved him until now...

I pulled him into me, kissing and biting his neck softly, my fingers raking up and down his back. He let out a low moan. He pulled me in the house, and into the spare room.

He held me firmly against a wall. His hands slid under my dress, and I moaned softly as his lips pressed against my skin, kissing and biting me with furious passion.

I slid his shirt off, and held his arms down to the bed. He took in shallow breaths as I trailed my lips down his chest, letting out pleasured moans as I moved lower.

He flipped me over, taking off my dress.

My eyes rolled back as his lips trailed every inch of me, my moans, longer and louder...

Our bodies merged, shuddering with blissful pleasure...

...Feeling our hearts pounding as one.

I was curled into him now, his arms still wrapped around me. I was completely relaxed, and felt myself smiling warmly and peacefully. Even after things like this, I loved how he would still hold me. Hold me like I was the most precious person in the world.

I then remembered that we shared this house.

"Haku...?"

"Hmm? What is it...?" He held my hand, pulling me softly to him.

I sighed. "Zeniba could be back soon you know."

He nuzzled into me, showering me with kisses.

"She's not back yet..."

I smiled. Sometimes Haku reminded me of a puppy.

I gave him a small, soft kiss.

"Sorry Haku, I really don't want Zeniba walking in on us."

I pulled away and we both got dressed. I swear, it was like pulling an arm off.

...I couldn't wait until this was all over. Then we could go back home, and have the cottage to ourselves.

...

Kahn was sitting in a shaded part of the forest, he was in a slight meditative state. He heard the sickening growls of his hated brethren, and his lips curled into a smile. This was an ambush, and it was also the main part of Kahn's training...

The point was to be found, and reverse the field. They weren't ambushing him, he was ambushing them, using himself as bait.

These weren't any ordinary vessels. The tainted soldiers surrounded him, and he heavily outnumbered by twenty-five to one.

Kahn laughed softly. He liked those odds.

He jumped up into the trees, sending the soldiers into a state of disarray. He quietly hopped from tree to tree, and launched three arrows at some soldiers.

 _That's one, two, three..._

He landed on the ground and swiftly collected his arrows, jumping back into the trees.

The tainted soldiers scurried around... as far as he was concerned, they were like rats in a cage.

He held his Kunai, and decapitated two of them while their backs were turned. All in one fell swoop. He jumped back into the trees again.

 _There's four, five..._

He held five needles in each hand, he loved getting to use these on larger hoards.

He launched the ten needles, piercing ten more soldiers in the back of the skull. He smirked.

 _Fifteen down..._

The nine soldiers were on their guard now, looking outward as they guarded their captain. He smiled wickedly. They were so focused on his recent attack patterns, they wouldn't see this one coming.

Kahn jumped from his hiding place, assassinating the captain in the center. The rest of the tainted fell dead, because without a hive mind, the whole hoard dies.

He laughed darkly. "Just try to beat that, Haku."

He looked down. He didn't hate Haku, he just really wanted Chihiro. He highly respected her, and felt too strongly for her to ruin her happiness.

That didn't change anything for Kahn though. He was still brooding, and he would continue to brood in the shadows. He would use this to decimate tainted hoards, like the one's he'd been destroying all day.

He continued to smile.

 _That's twenty-five, and two hundred and fifty-six for the count._

"Hey Kahn!" Said a boy's voice.

Kahn turned around to see Boh running toward him.

Kahn walked up to him. "What are you doing!? This place is hazardous, and you were foolish to come here."

"Don't be like that..." Boh grumbled. "Aunt Zeniba sent me to find you, she was wondering where Kuhn and Linn were. I just showed up when all of the action was happening. Wow Kahn! You're amazing!"

Kahn held the bridge of his nose. This child obviously didn't get the point.

"What part of 'this place will kill you' don't you understand?"

He sighed. "Very well, you'll find Kuhn and Linn next to a pond near the cabin. Now let me escort you out of the forest, before you in your infinite wisdom, get swallowed by a tainted Wraith. And if you were wondering, yes, it would much bigger than you are."

Boh turned pale. "L-Like that?"

Kahn looked up at the colossal sized tainted Wraith... perhaps he had provoked the tainted a little too much for one day.

"Yes, exactly like that..."

 _You have got to be kidding me... God's... Why?_

Kahn took Boh with him, and they fled into the trees.

...Trees that were were being swallowed by a wraith. It caught up with them, and lunged at Boh. Apparently the boy looked like a tasty snack.

Kahn pushed Boh behind him, and switched into close combat tactics. It's not that Kahn couldn't do close combat, he just couldn't keep it up for long. He had nowhere near the stamina that his brother had built, so he had to end this fast.

He kicked the Wraith at it's center point, launching it up in the air. He grabbed onto its tail, riding it up in the air. He looked down upon the land, and saw Linn and his brother gaping at him.

Linn whapped him across the head. "Why can't you do that!?"

Kahn couldn't believe he could hear her rant from all the way up here. Poor Kuhn, that woman could really project!

...He had no time to think about this now, he had a battle to finish.

He jumped up, slamming his heel into the center of the Wraith's chest. It fell at colossal speeds smashing into the ground and softening his landing.

 _Well, you know what they say. The bigger they are the harder they fall, though a little push helps sometimes too..._

Boh ran up to him, full of awe and wonder.

"Okay, you're officially awesome! Can you teach me to be that AWESOME!?"

He grabbed Boh's arm, and dragged him off.

"Right now just keep your voice down! Lest we broadcast our location with loud horns and lights."

Boh was dragged out of the forest by a furious Kahn, though he did make it back to the cabin in one piece. He received quite the scolding from No-Face, and decided he wouldn't do that again any time soon.

...

Kuhn and Linn were bantering at the pond, and so far Linn was winning.

"I'm the close combat expert, I could do that, and for longer than he could!"

She smirked. "Oh really? Like that time you valiantly got stabbed, and I had to carry you back? My hero..."

"Hey, that's not fair!" He whined. "I fought off the last of those weirdly skilled vessels, and I was injured to protect you!"

She smiled. "Yeah, I know..."

She gave him a small kiss.

"You've still never ridden a giant Wraith though, just saying, that was badass!"

"Hey, you can't just-"

She kissed him again, running her hands through his hair.

"Can't just what...?"

He sighed softly, his face red.

"How do you expect me to win any debate with you, when you do that?"

She smirked. "Who said I was expecting you to win?"

He didn't know why, but he liked it when she did that.

He leaned her against a tree, kissing her passionately. His hands sliding down the small of her back.

"Does this mean I win...?" She asked, slightly out of breath.

He nibbled at her ear, his tongue teasing it.

"No..." He whispered. "We're just taking a small break."

"Uhh... Hey, you two? I really hate to interrupt, but... Zeniba asked for you... Hmm..."

They turned to see Kahn standing there, his face a light red.

They held each other stiffly for a moment longer, their faces matched in deep redness.

They quickly separated after that, standing in awkward silence. Linn broke this silence first.

"What does she want?" Linn asked.

"She wants you to run an errand, don't ask me what, because I don't know."

They sighed, and walked back to the cabin. What could she possibly want them to fetch right now?


	28. Chapter 28

****I loved writing that last chapter, I laughed a lot while doing it. I hope you're all enjoying what I've gotten down so far, because it's nice to see people are reading it.**

 **I hope most of you can guess what the next chapter's about...**

 **Enjoy Chapter 28! :)****

Chapter 28: Running an Errand

Kuhn and Linn were headed to the train stop. They had to go all the way out to dirge-town and pick up a pile of alchemy ingredients. Not only would it be a half a day's trip by train, The place was called 'dirge-town'. Now that didn't sound overly welcoming in the least bit.

Zeniba had told them that dirge-town was not all that it seemed. She said that as long as they didn't go nosing about, things would go smoothly, and they'd be back by tomorrow.

As they took their seats, Kuhn couldn't help but be a little nervous.

"Why would they call it dirge-town?" Linn commented. "It's not like we're in the spirit world or anything, no need to exaggerate it."

"Dirge..." said a voice.

They looked in front of them, and saw a young girl sitting there. She had extremely long, dark red hair, marble like skin, and light violet eyes. She wore a black dress, and looked about the age of twelve.

She had such striking features, they couldn't believe they didn't notice her before.

She spoke again, her eyes piercing.

"Dirge. A lament for the dead, especially one forming part of a funeral right. A slow song that expresses sadness or sorrow... Why are you going to dirge-town?"

If they weren't nervous before, they were freaked out now.

"We're running an errand." Said Kuhn calmly, trying not to show his worry.

"I see..." She said, a hint of solemnity in her voice.

"I would be weary if I were you. If you wander carelessly, you'll find yourself wandering into the next life. So sent you, so sent are we all..."

Linn was trembling slightly, but hid this fact.

"The next life? Look, I don't know if you realize where we are? But we're sitting on a train full of spirits! This is the afterlife."

The girl's expression darkened.

"No, I'm afraid it's you who is blind. You wander aimlessly, unaware of your surroundings and world you reside in. Ask your friend, he knows the truth of this cage, for he has seen the bars..."

Linn turned to face him, his face was pale.

"What's she talking about Kuhn, what do you know?"

His expression became cool and calm.

"She's right. This isn't the spirit world, well, not exactly..."

She looked at him curiously.

"Not exactly... are you sure?"

He nodded slowly. "Yes. It's a conclusion I came to on my own when I started thinking about the things we've experienced. I realized that we're in an in between world, where a spirit's shape gains a solid form."

"Hold on." She said. "If we have these human forms, then why are none of us dying from old age? Explain that."

He sighed. "Linn, you're asking all the wrong questions. Haven't you ever wondered why we die at all? Why we're able to sustain physical injuries that spirits shouldn't have to deal with?"

Linn stopped. She knew this was true, and her brother suddenly came to mind.

"We are spirits, but not completely. We're all stuck in an eternal state of purgatory, until something kills us."

Linn breathed in and out slowly. This was a lot to take in, and she was pretty sure where he had gotten his conclusion.

"So, we're not dead, and this place could kill us if we're not careful. Somehow we're living in purgatory, and that's why none of us can leave."

She sighed. "Well, you got me. I guess that's too crazy to be a lie."

The girl spoke again, they had almost forgotten she was there.

"You are correct. Now you know where you are, and that your indeed, living souls are in peril."

Her face became darker, her eyes shaded.

"The two of you cannot afford to perish here. It would disrupt the cycle, and Purgatory would fall. That is all I can say... I warn you, steer clear of the man in grey. A mirthful cloak, hides a cunning face..."

The girl dissapeared, and the couple awoke in their seats.

"We were sleeping?" Linn asked.

"Yeah..." Said Kuhn. He tried to take in slow breaths, attempting to ground himself.

"You were dreaming with me, weren't you?"

Linn nodded. "I'm kind of scared Kuhn, would Zeniba purposely send us somewhere this dangerous?"

Kuhn shook his head. "I don't think that's it. She probably hasn't been there in a while, and places change over time."

Linn stared out of the window. She gave a wistful sigh.

"You know, there was a time when I dreamed of boarding this train... I wanted to ride it far away from the bathhouse."

She looked away, and down at the floor.

"I just never imagined this might be the last time I get to ride it..."

Kuhn pulled her into him.

"Don't worry, as long as we make this fast, we'll be fine."

He wasn't completely sure of that, but he didn't like seeing Linn this stressed. They were silent for the rest of the ride, falling into a restless sleep.

...

They were woken up at around 5:30 am. Since they had left at about 5:00 pm the day before, the train seemed to have arrived in a reasonable amount of time.

They left the train and stood at the stop.

"Remember who that girl said to watch out for." Said Kuhn.

Linn nodded. "I know, a man in grey right?"

He gave a sharp nod. "Right."

They walked toward the town, and started to hear cheering. Kuhn raised an eyebrow.

"Are we going in the right direction?" He asked.

Linn shrugged "Well, the sign said 'dirge-town in one half a Kilometre, walk straight.' So I guess that's where we're headed."

Kuhn fidgeted nervously as he walked.

 _Why am I starting to get a worse feeling about all of this? Not that it was a good feeling before we exited the train... but still, this is starting to give me the creeps._

They came up on the town's entrance. There was a bright and colorful sign, displaying the town's name. This, was dirge-town?

The people seemed to be in a state of celebration, dancing around the roads and walkways. Everyone was dressed in colors so bright, it was almost blinding.

Linn gaped in horror at the scene before her.

 _There's just no way... They must of mixed up dirge-town with 'mirth-town' on the sign._

 _...Wait. A mirthful cloak, hides a cunning face..._

"I think we're in the right place. Keep your eyes out for a guy in grey, he's probably hiding somewhere in this town."

He nodded. "Right, let's just get what we need and leave. No need to look conspicuous."

A man in a caped suit, probably holding all colors of the rainbow, walked up to Kuhn and shook his hand. He was laughing, and seemed almost giddy.

"Welcome! Welcome to dirge-town! You two haven't been here before, so here's some spending money! Take it!"

Words flashed through Linn's mind, something that Zeniba had said.

 _"Remember, don't take anything they give you. Nothing in dirge-town is free..."_

Linn spoke up before Kuhn could except the money.

"Haha! No thanks, but that was very nice of you! ...Come on Kuhn let's go."

She dragged him off.

Kuhn had just remembered Zeniba's advice, he nearly melted where he stood.

"Oh yeah... thanks Linn, I owe you one."

She sighed. "Let's just make this fast, and get the hell out of here."

They walked at a quick pace, looking for a place that might sell alchemy ingredients. The buildings were all so colorful they couldn't tell them apart.

Kuhn groaned in utter annoyance.

"I can't pick out one damn business from the other, this place is too mixed up."

"Well, then I guess we start searching inside of buildings." Linn offered.

"I mean, I doubt anyone will kill us for checking."

They walked inside of the first building, and there seemed to be quite the party going on. Everyone was dancing and singing. A man walked up to Kuhn again, shaking his hand.

"Welcome! Welcome to dirge-town! You two haven't been here before, so here's some spending money! Take it!"

Kuhn froze for a moment. This looked like the guy from before, but he wasn't wearing a cape and his suit was different.

"We're alright, but thank you very much."

He took Linn, and they quickly walked out of there.

"I'm officially freaking out now!" He said, losing his composure.

A different man walked up to him. "Hey friend! You look really stressed, have a drink! It's on me!"

"He's fine!" Linn laughed. "Why don't you buy a drink? You must be tired from all of that-"

He walked up to Linn. "Hey friend! You look really stressed, have a drink! It's on me!"

"I don't drink." Linn said calmly. She took Kuhn and they picked up the pace.

"Try not to worry, because it looks like they can tell when you do."

They tried the next building, and came to realize something that frightened them both.

This building they were in... it looked just like the last one. The same man was about to walk up to Kuhn. They both left the building. The reason they couldn't tell the business apart, was because none of them were different.

Every single building they searched was the same.

You could tell he was trying, but Kuhn was scared out of his mind.

He tried to breath in... and out... in... and out. He just needed to relax, everyone else was...

He took a moment to look at the bulk of the crowd. He stopped.

There was a woman dancing, her heel was bent in an awkward way, yet she was jumping and frolicking about. The woman turned around to look at him, still dancing, her face was in agony. She laughed as tears streamed from her eyes.

"R-Run! RUN!"

The gift vendors laughed and skipped over to the woman. Then they grabbed her arms and legs, tearing her body into pieces.

They both ran. "If we don't get out of here soon, we're next!" Kuhn was running extremely fast, keeping Linn close by.

"I know!" She gasped. "Let's just shop at a different town, cause this one's gone to hell!"

They ran further into the town, then something caught the corner of Kuhn's eye. It was a small black building, with a sign that read, 'Apothecary'.

Linn noticed it too, and they ran into the building.

The vendors had stopped chasing them, and they both sank to the floor.

"Thank god, we're not dead!" Linn exclaimed.

Kuhn let out a rasped and tired breath.

"When I get my hands on that old woman, I'm going to turn her into a leather coat."

"Tell me about it..." Linn grumbled.

"Welcome to my apothecary, I hope the natives didn't give you too much trouble."

Linn looked up, and realized that their troubles were far from over. The man who stood at the counter was dressed completely in grey.

"I think we're just going to go home sir, this town hasn't been the best experience."

 _...Sir? Linn called the man Sir!?_

Kuhn took one look at him, and caught on to what Linn was doing.

"Yeah, we'd better be off!"

Kuhn went to turn the handle, but the door was gone.

The man's eyes were wide, and his smile disturbed.

"I can't just let you leave... You see, I haven't had visitors in so long..."

His face seemed to melt as he continued to speak.

"I would love it if you'd stay for dinner..."

The man's face melted, and revealed the girl on the train. Her gown was now white, and her face was sunken.

The woman's mouth dropped to the counter, then she crawled over it and lunged at Linn.

Kuhn launched the girl into the brick wall in front of him.

She let out a horrifying screech.

"No, my meal is her! I WILL NOT HAVE YOU!"

So, this girl was specifically after Linn. Kuhn wouldn't be having any of that.

He stepped in front of Linn.

"I know that you've been training to fight, but let me handle this one. She's after you, and I don't know why yet, but stay behind me."

Linn sighed. "Fine, just be careful."

The now distorted woman croaked and groaned, her head twitching sharply to the right.

"You would refuse a lady her meal!? YOU HORRIBLE SWINE!"

She jumped at Linn again, and Kuhn socked her in the face. He smirked.

"Do you know why I did that? Because you're NOT a lady!"

She growled at him, attempting to pin him to the wall. He grabbed her arms.

"Okay, what do you want with Linn? And if you were so intent on killing her, why warn us first?"

She laughed. "I see you've met my sister! ...But no matter. Step aside boy, it's time for the girls to play!"

She flipped out a tail resembling a scorpion's, and sunk it into Kuhn's shoulder. He felt his body go numb as the poison spread.

He collapsed to the floor, releasing the monstrous woman.

He saw Linn grab her tail, and snap the top of it off. She looked more angry than Kuhn had ever seen her. He felt some inner joy at this.

 _Well, good luck, and it's not Linn I'm worried about. Looking at the hag woman now, I almost feel sorry for her. She'll soon find she pissed off the wrong playmate._

The woman let out an agonizing screech, feeling the hard shell of her tail snap in two.

"Since you're new to womanhood, let me give some friendly advice..."

Linn grabbed the base of her tail, continuously slamming the woman's face into the stone floor.

"Keep your filthy, stupid, worthless, grubby hands off of MY MAN!"

She began to stab the woman with her own severed tail. She tried to crawl away, begging for mercy. Linn stomped her teeth into the ground..

"You wanted to eat!? Well now you're eating THE GROUND! Your meal just bit back YOU COCKY BITCH!"

 _Damn... Well, number one on my list of things to never try. Linn's patience._

The door had reappeared, and Linn was still kicking the crap out of spider hag.

A certain redhead walked in. The nice one, and the one who wasn't painting the floor.

"Wow, I... I think she's most certainly dead now."

Linn stopped, and stared at the bloody pulp that used to be female... maybe.

"So she is..."

She laughed nervously. "I guess I got a little carried away... hehe..."

If Kuhn had movement in his arms, they would be sending his palm straight for his face.

 _A 'little' carried away!? You might as well have thrown her into a meat grinder! Good god what a mess!_

"Well, I must say I'm thoroughly impressed... hmm well... You should probably check on your friend."

 _Thank you, at least someone thought of it!_

Linn ran over to Kuhn. "Oh no, what's wrong with him?"

The girl with the red hair and violet eyes had knelt down next to him. She pulled out a needle and syringe.

"Here, this will help."

She shoved the needle into his wounded shoulder, then he sat up.

"OOOWWWW!? Thanks for saving me and all, but that hurt like hell!"

The girl spoke. "Pain. A feeling caused by injury, illness, or something that hurts the body... I'm sorry, it was the only antidote that could cure it. You may not want to move for a while."

He sighed. "So I'm going to be carried again?"

Linn smiled. "Yep, here I come to save the day. Again."

He gave a defeated look. "You're never going to let me forget this, are you?"

She laughed as she lifted him up.

"No way, it'll be burned into my memory until I grow old!"

"You won't grow old." He said flatly.

She paused, and looked at the shelves. She then dropped Kuhn, and ran toward them.

"So this actually was an apothecary!? Damn, we hit the jackpot! And with the store owner dead, we don't even have to pay! Kuhn, our errand can be done and out of the way, isn't it great!?"

"Yeah... great." He said painfully. "Not that you just dropped me or anything."

Linn ran back to him, and picked him up.

"I am so sorry..."

She looked at the redheaded girl.

"Can you collect all of those ingredients? I know I... No, you've probably got-"

"No it's fine." The girl said. "I suppose I have nowhere else to be..."

She began collecting ingredients, organizing them into specific bags. She even went as far as to color code and label them, going down to the smallest detail of plant family and species. This girl was almost obsessively perfect in everything she did.

She carried a huge amount of ingredients and bags, making sure none fell out of place.

"Are all of us ready?" She asked. Kuhn and Linn both nodded, kind of in awe at this girl's obsessive compulsive genius.

They made it to the train stop at exactly 11:47 am, and boarded the train at 12:04 pm. They were finally headed home, and Zeniba had better not ask them why they were late.

 ****Well, not the longest chapter, but it got pretty close.****


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29: The Wandering Alchemist

The train arrived at the sixth stop at around 12:30 am. They were all very exhausted, and ready for some rest. Linn was dragging her feet toward the cabin. Kuhn, who could now walk, trudged slowly behind her.

The only one who didn't seem phased by the journey was the girl.

They all picked up the pace eventually. Walking seemed to fill them with some energy, temporarily numbing their exhaustion.

"So I guess dirge-town was an illusion? What was that old woman thinking, sending us into a place like that!?"

"I don't know..." Said Linn. "All I know, is that when we left the apothecary, the entire town was gone."

The girl spoke. "Yes. Without the puppet master, his puppets are rendered useless. Without my sister, dirge-town is no different. Even those you saw dancing. They were but mere interpretations of the caster's mind."

"The caster's mind...?" Kuhn asked. He felt a shiver go up his spine.

"If that was a fragment of what went on in there, I don't even want to think about the big picture..."

They soon showed up at the cabin, Zeniba was waiting for them.

"I'm glad to see you've all made it back, who's your friend?"

Linn fumed as she walked up to Zeniba.

"You know, we're lucky we all didn't die! Are you crazy? Because dirge-town was a SUICIDE MISSION!"

Zeniba blinked. "Did I say dirge-town?"

She burst into laughter. "No no, I meant 'Splurge-Town'. The vendors there are awful! Giving you 'free samples' and charging you for them later. Pah! A bunch of Conn Artist's!"

Kuhn was physically twitching.

"Y-You mean to tell me, that you gave us the wrong town!? If you weren't an all powerful witch, I'D TURN YOU INTO A LEATHER PURSE!"

Her eyes went wide. "Oh yes, dirge-town... You survived!? Well, I am impressed."

The redheaded girl spoke before the situation could escalate.

"Yes, they were able to dispel the illusion by destroying the caster. Oh, were these the ingredients you wanted? Here, I had them organized. I hope it is to your liking."

Zeniba took the ingredients, and looked at them.

"This is better than I'd hoped, how did you get to know so much about plants and herbs dear? This is really quite impressive."

She held out her hands, which were covered in burn marks and calluses.

"I specialize in all kinds of Alchemy. Poisons, potions, medicines, and antidotes."

Zeniba grabbed her hands and examined them.

"Yes, and it seems you have learned the long and hard path to mastery."

She nodded. "This is true. It was a difficult task, but it seems I have managed well enough."

The girl turned away from the group.

"If that is all you needed, then I should be on my way."

Kuhn stepped forward. "Wait, before you go... Can we at least get your name?"

She tensed, but remained turned around.

"A name..." She said softly.

"Name. A word that refers to, or can refer to a specific person. ...I don't have one."

"Well why not?" Asked Linn curiously.

The girl began to walk away.

"Really, I must be leaving!"

"Well, we can't just let you go alone." Said Kuhn. The girl had stopped now, and stood motionless.

"You really helped us back there in dirge-town, the least we can do is walk you home. Where do you live anyway? Don't you think your parents would be worried by now?"

She stood in silence for a moment.

"I'm not living anywhere specific. My parents are not worried, I promise."

Linn spoke. "I've heard that line before, in fact, I used to say it a lot myself. A girl your age shouldn't be living alone."

"I am quite capable of taking care of myself." Said the girl, a hint of bitterness in her voice.

"I don't doubt it." Linn replied. "I mean, it must be lonely all by yourself."

She turned around. "Do not patronize me, as if I were some small child who needs constant attention! You have no idea what-!"

"Hey! Don't be like that." Said Kuhn, cutting her off.

"We really just wanted to repay you for your kindness. By the way, it sucks being alone whether your a child or not. I don't want you to be lonely, but if you insist, no one can stop you. I won't stop you, but it's a miserable existence, just saying."

She told there frozen, her face was more calm.

"The offer's still up." Said Linn. "So are you going to stick around, or not?"

The girl sighed. "I suppose... if I can make use of myself."

Zeniba laughed. "Oh, there will be plenty to do! I think I have a student you should talk with tomorrow. She's training in alchemy."

"Are you saying you want me to train this pupil of yours?" Asked the girl.

Zeniba smiled. "That would be the reason."

She gave a hint of a smile. "Well, by the end of our training she will surely hate me. You may be sorry you hired me."

Linn held the bridge of her nose.

"Uh oh, looks like Chihiro's in for a real treat."

They all went back to the cabin and rested for the remainder of the morning. It was a fairly short rest.

...

I was in the cottage... I was standing in the corner next to the stove.

I saw myself with Kahn...

Kahn!? Why him!? Why were we...? This is a dream isn't it. There's no way I'd sleep with Kahn. I mean, yeah he's really attractive, but I'd never be that shallow! Besides, I like Haku better... He's just so... well in my opinion he's way more attractive than Kahn.

But why was I dreaming about this!?

"Chihiro..." He whispered. I tried my best to ignore it.

The room disappeared, and I was now in the dream. Kahn was dying, tears streaming down his face... tears of blood. He held my face in his hands.

"Don't let me die here, Chihiro..."

I was trembling heavily, forgetting that this was a dream.

"Kahn, snap out of it! I won't let you die, I-"

"DON'T LET ME DIE!" He screamed.

I sat up, my face covered in tears.

I looked up, and saw an unfamiliar face staring down at me. I jumped.

"Ah! Who are you!?"

"I'll be your new alchemy teacher. Your former instructor Zeniba, she is the one who hired me."

This girl!? She looks even younger than me! Zeniba you can't be serious...

"Are you sure? You look a little young... No offense."

She shrugged. "I take some offense to that, but no matter. Get up. I am going to teach you alchemy."

Geeze... This girl was even colder than Kahn was.

I stood. "Alright then..."

"You say that as if you doubt my abilities." She stated.

"Don't read so much into it..." I said. She was already starting to get on my nerves, who was this girl?

We got set up with a table of ingredients, a mortar and pestle, some cutting tools, some measuring cups, and beacers of various shapes and sizes.

After everything was set up, the girl sat down, and began giving me instructions.

She pulled out three bottles of this strange liquid, and set them on the table.

"These are vials filled with a poison that destroys the nervous system and the brain. It directly attacks the spine, causing severe damage. When it reaches the brain, it causes a most agonizing death."

Well isn't that just lovely...

She gestured toward the ingredients.

"You will be making an antidote for this poison. It will require 3.76 milligrams of glow snake venom, 1.2... No, 1.35 grams of concentrated bloodweed solution, exactly 6 milligrams of hormones extracted from the pineal gland of a red toad, and 0.41 milligrams of shell shavings from the Ambrosia fruit. You will mix the ingredients in that order, with the alchemical solution that I provide. The amount of solution you use will be three times the mass of the ingredients in the mixture."

I felt my face grow pale, and my eyes widen. This girl was the real deal, wasn't she?

"So... which one of these are the ingredients I need. I mean, I know what the Ambrosia fruit looks like, but I'm lost on the others."

"Well then you know where to start with the Ambrosia shell."

She dropped a pile of books on the table.

"These should have all you need to know, oh, and you'll have to do all of the measurements yourself. I'll expect results in three days. Good luck."

With that, my new alchemy teacher waltzed right out of the cabin.

Great, there was no way I'd figure this out in three days! This girl had to be out of her mind!


	30. Chapter 30

****I am grateful that at least one person still considers my story a favorite. Thanks to all of my readers who continue to stay invested in my story. Bare with me, it gets better.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 30! :)****

Chapter 30: Alchemistry

It had been a full-blown two days of constant antidote mixing... Well, antidote failing is more like it. Every single one I had mixed in the first day had either turned into an acid, or blew apart the beacer when I added the Ambrosia shavings.

It was day two now, and I had figured little out besides how to not blow up my antidote. My hands were killing me, and I was getting really tired of this.

Do you know how many red toads you have to use to get six milligrams of hormones? A lot. Or how hard it is to extract hormones from such a small gland? Nearly impossible!

I was in a state of this tensed half alseep. My head was laid on the table, and I was unconsciously stabbing my scalpel into my wooden cutting board.

A voice spoke. "Chihiro, are you...?"

I sat up. "Sorry! I wasn't sleeping, I, I... Oh, hi Haku."

He walked over, and sat next to me.

"You look really tired, have you taken a break yet? Every time I walk in here you're still practicing."

I set my head on the table. "No... I've been practicing from day one. It's day two. She's such a potion Nazi, it's driving me insane."

His eyes widened. "You haven't slept in two days!? Don't you think you're overdoing it a little?"

"Yeah I know!" I yelled. Not at Haku, just at the world.

"Trust me, if she would give me permission to sleep, I'd be sleeping! Haku, I'm really starting to hate her! She gives me these vague instructions, a table full of ingredients, and says, 'figure it out'! I mean, no name, no 'nice to meet you' nothing! Just get to work she says!"

He sighed. "Maybe I can help, what antidote are you mixing?"

I handed him a vial of the poison she'd been replacing for me.

"It's one for this poison, know anything about it?"

He held the vial into the light, examining it. He gaped

"This!? This is at least an expert class antidote or better! How can she expect you to achieve this in the amount of time she's given!?"

I grabbed the vial. "I have made some progress though. I figured out the texture the ingredients have to be, and how to turn bloodweed into a concentrate. The thing I'm messing up with the most, are the measurements of the antidote."

He sighed. "Yeah, that would be the reason it's such a high level antidote. If even one ingredient is out of balance, the whole concoction could be fatal. Even worse than the poison."

I gaped. "Worse than the poison!? That's-"

My foot slipped under some liquid I had spilt, and the vial shattered on the ground. I was nearing the ground, poisoned glass shards waiting for me.

Haku attempted to catch me, but fell instead, making sure none of the glass shards touched me.

I sat up, and saw Haku. He was trying to say something, but his voice seemed inaudible.

I started to panic. How long did it take for the poison to spread!?

I needed to get the antidote perfect this time. I was not going to lose Haku to poison.

I quickly removed the shards of glass from his back and side, laying him on the floor away from the spilt poison.

I gathered the ingredients quickly and accurately measured each one. I went for the alchemical solution and...

...wait, this was what was messing me up. She said it had to be three times the mass of the ingredients, and I had forgotten that part. I added up the mass of the ingredients, and was able to get an accurate measurement on the solution.

I mixed them together in the order she had told me, and it began to glow a light blue color.

I filled a syringe with some of the antidote, and injected it into Haku's wounds.

His breathing became stable, and he attempted to sit. I held him down softly.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea..." I said softly.

He smiled. "Th-That was excellent timing."

The girl walked in, and saw the broken vial on the ground. She then looked at us, and ran over to Haku.

"Is he alright!? I need to know how long ago he was poisoned, as well as-"

"It's fine." I said. "I made sure I got the antidote right this time."

"May I see it? if you have any left, of course."

I handed her the last of the antidote. She examined it, and nodded.

"This is the correct antidote, perfectly measured and precisely mixed. Good work."

I sighed with relief. "So does this mean we're done training for today?"

She gave a small smile. "It means we are done training. What you have learned here will provide you with the means to make other antidotes and poisons alike. All you have to do is research the desired effect, and I'm sure you will be able to mix it accordingly."

"I think I understand your methods." Haku said, a hint of anger in his tone.

"I also know that this method was banned for being cruel and inhumane. True, it is by far the most effective method. It is also potentially fatal to the practitioner. If Chihiro was hurt by this method, just know it would have been on your head."

The girl was almost trembling with anger, she clenched her fists.

...Then I saw tears streaming down her face.

"No, the method I used was slightly different. I gave her instruction on what to do..."

She lifted the sleeves of her shirt, and I was appalled at the level of scaring and burns they had endured.

"It took me five years to learn that antidote! They started me off at the age of four, and I was nine when I finished! Don't any of you understand!? I was merciful!"

She hung her head, and her voice became monotone.

"Mercy. Compassionate treatment, especially of those under one's power. A disposition to be kind and forgiving."

She turned around, and walked over to the poison and glass shards. She cleaned the ground until it was spotless, and left the cabin.

Haku and I continued to stare at the door when she left. There was more to this girl than I thought, and I was pretty sure that what she showed us was nothing.

Whoever she was, horrible things had happened to her. Things I probably didn't want to imagine.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31: The Assassin and the Alchemist

It had been three days since I had that dream, and it was still bothering me. The last dream I had like this had been prophetic, and there was a lot I had to go through to stop it from happening. I just hoped that this time it was just a dream...

"You look distressed." Said a voice. It was that girl who had taught me alchemy.

"Nah, I'm just... Well, maybe I'm a little stressed."

I thought back to what happened yesterday. I held out my hand.

"My name's Chihiro by the way, thank you for teaching me."

The girl stared at my hand, then poked it.

I laughed. "No! You're supposed to shake it."

She looked even more confused.

I sighed, putting down my hand.

"Okay, so it goes kind of like this. I hold out my hand, and give you my name. You're supposed to take my hand, and give me your name. It's a greeting. That was very adorable though!"

She seemed taken aback by that last part.

"Y-You think I'm... adorable...?"

I smiled. "Yes, I think you're a very cute girl."

Her face turned red. "B-But I thought you were with Haku!? I am very confused right now!"

"What NO!" I gasped. "That's not what I meant at all..."

"Then please clarify..." She said, her face still burning red.

"I meant that when you poked my hand, it was funny, in an innocent sort of way. Nothing more."

"I think I understand now." She said.

"You're kind of new to this socialization thing aren't you?" I was pretty sure she was.

Everyone should know what a handshake is. It's kind of important.

"Yes, I am." She replied. "And I appreciate your abundant wisdom on the matter..."

She dropped to her knees and grabbed my hands.

"Please, oh wise one in the ways of socializing... teach me your ways! I must no longer be subjected to the awkward darkness that surrounds my every conversation. With your training, I hope to leave the darkness, and bask in this social light!"

 _Wow... I wonder if she knows the definition of clueless in her dictionary brain? I'm sure she'll mention her name once or twice in there..._

 _...That reminds me..._

"Well, first let's start with your name." I said.

She looked down. "Just as I had told the others before, I have no name. Can we just skip that part?"

No name...? Was she serious?

"You have no name? Didn't your parents give you a name? Sorry, that might sound a little insensitive... I mean, even if you don't have parents, you did once right? Do you not remember your name?"

Her expression darkened. "I'd rather not talk about my parents. They never had the ambition to give me a name, or a childhood."

I stopped. I think I understood what she was implying.

"Alright, fair enough then. I guess just... try to start a conversation with someone. Like, ask them what they're doing, or what they're training in. We're all training, so that might be a good place to start."

"But... who should I talk to? Which person would this method prove most effective with?"

I slapped my palm to my face. "No, you have the wrong idea. You have to wander a bit, and find someone to talk to. It's not just black and white, it's a big grey area."

She gave a sigh of defeat. "So it's a session of trial and error... not only that, but it's a grey area as well. Grey area's were always my worst subject of practice."

I had an idea. I knew someone who might get along with her.

"Okay, here's an idea. I know someone you could talk to who you would probably like."

She looked up. "Someone I would like?"

I nodded. "Yep, he looks just like Kuhn, but he has blue eyes. Start by asking him what he's doing, then try asking his name."

She stood quickly. "I will complete this task you have given me to the fullest of my ability! Do not worry mistress Chihiro, you will not be disappointed!"

And out the door she went. I don't really think she got the point. Well, at least I sent her to Kahn. He's really nice in some ways, and they're a lot alike... I'm sure everything will go just fine...

God I hope so.

...

The red haired girl searched tirelessly for Kahn. The one looked like Kuhn, but with blue eyes. Kuhn's eyes were green, so she figured that fact should distinguish them well enough.

Kuhn was by the pond, and Linn was with him.

From observing Kuhn, she picked up that he was six foot two and a quarter inch, had a well muscled frame, large hands, and a shoe size of twelve to twelve and a half.

According to her, this was all very important to know.

Though despite the information she had gathered, her trail was still cold.

...She saw footprints on the ground. She measured them, and found that they were exactly the right size. They were headed northwest of her location. She promptly followed them.

She felt she may be nearing her target, then a fight sounded in the distance.

She made her way through the shadows, hoping her lifelong sense of invisibility wouldn't fail her now.

She inspected the scene before her, and saw her target. He was fighting off a large hoard of tainted super soldiers, hidden safely in the shadow of a tree branch.

She saw the severity of the conflict, and decided to join him on his tree branch.

He saw her, and jumped, nearly falling off of the branch.

"What!? Who are you!?" He whispered. "What are you doing here!?"

She nodded toward the hoard. "This is a large and powerful hoard, you'll need assistance."

Kahn stared at her for a moment. She was so young, and seemed much too little to be dealing with a hoard this size. Then he thought about how easily she snuck up on him.

He nodded. "Alright then, what did you have in mind?"

She gave a sly smile. "I'll need one of your Kunai." She said, pointing at his pack.

He wondered how she knew he had Kunai with him, but decided not to question it. He removed one from the pack and handed it to her.

She pulled out a vial of liquid, pouring it onto the kunai knife. He then realized how she fought, and was curious as to how she would imply it.

She jumped to another tree, and quietly hopped down to the bottom. Kahn couldn't help but grow nervous at this.

She held the kunai knife, walking slowly toward the hoard.

Kahn put a hand over his mouth to prevent any noise from escaping. What was she doing!? She's giving up her location, she'll be killed!

As she walked closer to the hoard, He noticed something very strange...

...None of the tainted had seen her, in fact, they seemed to be looking right past her.

She walked right through the tainted hoard, begining to change her walking patterns to match theirs. He stared in awe as she edged her way into the center of the hoard, killing the captain.

All of the tainted fell, and all that remained was this young girl.

Kahn jumped down from his branch and approached her.

"How in the world did you do that? I sensed no magic, yet it was as if you were invisible to them."

She nodded. "You could call it a form of invisibility. It is actually assimilation. This is a form of mental magic undetectable to the finest senses. It allows one to merge into any crowd, seeming as one with it."

"That is quite impressive..." He said, and knowing Kahn, that's a high compliment.

Kahn is never easily impressed.

The girl saw an opening to start a conversation, so she used what Chihiro had told her.

"So... What are you doing?" She asked.

Kahn looked at her in confusion.

"Well, you should know. You just helped me do it..."

She tensed slightly. So apparently that was the wrong one to ask.

She moved on to the next question.

"Never mind that... What's your name?"

"I am Kahn... You seem to be very strange, little one."

She blushed with embarrassment.

"Am I really that strange...? Would you rather not associate with me?"

He laughed softly. "Well, I did say you were strange. I did not say that I dislike you."

He smiled. "So what should I call you, little one?"

She sighed with sorrow. Not this again.

"I don't have a name. I do have parents, but I do not associate with them, and they never named me. To answer all of those questions."

He looked at her sadly. "Well I am truly sorry... Thank you for helping me. I usually train here against soldiers and vessels, I fought a Wraith once... Well, as you probably know the more advanced soldiers can be a little tricky."

She was relieved that he had not dwelled on her lacking of a name.

"Yes, they certainly can."

They continued to talk for a while, and the red haired girl found herself becoming more comfortable with it. She was beginning to enjoy Kahn's company.

...She hadn't even realized she had been socializing, in fact, she wasn't even thinking about it.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Peace Times

It had been twenty-two days since we had all started training. The end of this month was nearing, and even though we'd all trained hard, I was almost sad to see it end. We had shared so many memories here. Some were really bad, but for the most part it was a good experience. As much as I talked about going back to the cottage onc and for all, I would always come back and visit.

This place was my home now, and the home of those I cared about most.

I stared out at the forest, dark and treacherous. I hoped that we would make it out of this alive, because I was starting to remember just how dangerous this mission was. We were infiltrating a tainted war zone, and attempting to reclaim a place where we were outnumbered at least 200-1.

This was not going to be easy.

Haku sat next to me. "I take it you're nervous about the mission?"

I sighed. "Yeah... Everything has been so peaceful lately, I can hardly believe we're about to go waltzing into a tainted war palace."

He put his arm around me, and pulled me close to him.

"I know. Honestly I'm terrified, but we have been training for this... we'll be fine."

I leaned into him. "Are you sure about that?"

He gave a sad smile. "No... I'm not. All we can do now, is hope and pray we make it out of this. If anything, I'll make sure you make it out of there... even if it's the last thing I do."

I held him tighter, letting my fingers wrap around his.

"Don't talk like that, I don't want to lose you either."

He trembled, but only for a moment.

"I know..." His voice had lost it's composure, and I realized then just how scared he was.

"Chihiro, promise me you'll make it out of this, even if you don't mean it."

Tears were beginning to escape his eyes.

I held his face in my hand, wiping away his tears.

"Haku..."

"Just do it, promise me..." He said.

I felt my lower lip quivering, tears spilling out of my eyes.

I hugged him, and began to cry. "I promise... I promise I'll make it out of this!"

He held me, and I held him. We both cried into each other, embracing the other's comfort.

...

Kahn and the red haired girl were training together now. They figured out that her supply of poison and their amazing stealth worked quite well in sync. It made the harder enemies much easier to handle.

If there was any language Kahn and her shared, it was battle language. Not that they didn't chat as well, Kahn enjoyed the conversations they shared, as did she. He was pleasantly surprised to find that she was staying with them.

They sat under the shade of a large tree, talking amongst themselves.

"Thank you for asking so many questions! I am truly glad that someone takes such an interest in my trade."

He looked at her curiously. "Your trade? So you have sold your craft."

He smirked. "To think I've never heard of the place where you sold your excellent potions. I may have been a regular customer."

She sighed, her expression darkening.

"I'm not surprised that you don't know about it, it was a black market trading post after all."

He blinked in surprise. "What would someone like you be doing in such a horrible market?"

She looked down. "I'm afraid I didn't have much choice in the matter."

She lifted her sleeves, and showed him her arms. He stared at them in awe, and realized immediately what had caused it.

"No... That, is how you learned your trade?"

She gave a small nod. "Yes, the training began when I was at the age of four. I finished the training when I was nine, and have these scars to prove for it. They extend to my entire chest and the base of my torso."

Kahn breathed a heavy breath of sorrow.

"It was your parents, wasn't it? They did this to you."

Her eyes became shaded, her tone bitter.

"I have no parents. No, parents take care of their children. Parents nourish and protect their children, and mine did none of those things. No... NO!"

She began to tremble, her breath was choppy and shallow.

"I had slave drivers! I never had parents, or a family, or a name! I might as well have NEVER EXISTED AT ALL!"

He put a hand on her shoulder, and pulled her into a hug.

"Don't say that little one... Please don't say that... they can't hurt you anymore, not while I'm around."

She looked at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

He smiled softly. "You remind me so much of myself, like a little sister perhaps..."

Her eyes widened, and tears began to flow freely from them.

"L-Little sister...?"

He held her hands, and his smile broadened.

"Yes, would you like that?"

She nodded. "Yes... I think I would like that very much..."

"Then I, as your older brother, will name you Shisuta." He said.

"It means sister, and I thought it would suit you well."

She began to cry, softly at first.

Kahn pulled her into a warm hug and she started to sob.

No one had ever shown her such kindness, and that was the one thing she wasn't prepared for. The one thing she had never prepared her composure for. So instead it blindsided her, sending her into a state of tears.

She welcomed this love, and everything that came with it...

...and into her world, she had finally welcomed happiness.

...

Linn was sitting at the pond where her and Kuhn usually met. She looked up at the sky, and smiled.

Kuhn sat next to her. "Well someone looks like they're in a good mood, should I check for fever? Or maybe a terminal illness."

She rolled her eyes. "So what are you saying Kuhn?"

He gave her a soft peck. "Oh, nothing in particular."

She smirked. "See, I'm not the only one who uses that trick."

He gave a gasp of mock offense.

"What!? To accuse me of such things? I was simply showing my affection, it's not my fault your mind's in the gutter!"

She laughed. "Yeah? Is that so?"

She grabbed him by the front of his shirt, and pulled him into a passionate kiss. He let out a low moan, his face turning red as she stroked her fingers down his chest, biting his ear.

"Well, I'm not the only one..." She whispered.

"O-Okay... You have a... a point there."

He couldn't help but melt when she did that. Lately she had been winning all of their banters this way, but he really didn't care anymore. He just wanted her, and her alone. Her warmth, and just her company.

It was enough to keep Kuhn happy for an eternity.

...

Zeniba had been keeping an eye on the group more than usual today. It was nearing the end of the month, and she knew she had done her best to prepare them...

...but that didn't stop her from worrying.

She couldn't help but smile as she watched them, they were so young, so full of ambition.

Ambition that could be stripped in the blink of an eye.

No-Face put a hand on her shoulder.

She felt a tear slip down her face.

"Oh No-Face... I don't think I can let them go alone."

He gave a slow nod.

She regained her composure.

"No, I can't let them go alone, so there is only one choice left."

No-Face walked over to the weapons rack and grabbed her staff. She took it.

"Yes that's right. All I can do now is do what grandmothers do best, and clean up the mess. ...Well sister, I think it's about time I paid the bathhouse a visit."

Everyone had tried their hardest to prepare for this...

...The time was upon them, and a moment of resolve that carried them forward as peace times came to an end.


	33. Chapter 33

****Okay, So here comes the battle scene we've all been waiting for... Well, I've been pretty excited about it. I know what happens because I'm writing it, but I'm excited to write it, so I hope you're excited to read it.**

 **Here it is, Chapter 33. Enjoy! :)****

Chapter 33: Training Ends, The First Siege

This was it. Today was the day we took the fight to the bathhouse. We all had a cool and composed look about us, but that didn't mean any of us were calm. I'm sure that much like me, the others were having an internal freak out.

Zeniba was our team leader, and had separated us into specific groups.

Kuhn and Linn were in one group, for their well paired close combat skills.

Kahn and Shisuta were in the other group. This was because of their ranged and stealth combat tactics, with a dash of poison to seal the deal.

That left Me, Haku, and Zeniba leading in a frontal attack on the bathhouse.

All of these teams worked well as an obvious pair, because all of the teams knew the other member's strengths and limits.

For a frontal attack it was decided more people were needed, hence the trio.

The battle plan went as follows:

Shisuta would use her assimilation abilities to gain entry into the bathhouse, where they would clear out the lower floors. They would then evacuate the building undetected. Shisuta would then use the ability to make sure they would be able to sit perched near the window on the top floor. Their stealth abilities would handle the rest.

They are to sit watch and wait for our trio to reach the top floor. If anything were to go wrong up there, they would have to intervene with a series of stealth and assassination attacks, using close combat as a last resort.

They will also be watching over Kuhn and Linn, backing them up as needed.

Kuhn and Linn were our source of crowd control. They would ensure that the bathhouse stayed empty when Kahn and Shisuta cleared it. So yes, they were technically a distraction as well, but they could hold their own. They'd have the two assassins sniping any stragglers.

Our job was to make it up to the top floor having conserved as much energy as possible, hence the clearing of the other floors. We would need the extra strength to kill the leader inside. When the leader dies, the hoard dies. That was our mission.

We were all taking our positions. The bathhouse was close, and I could feel the darkness eminating off of it.

Everything was in place. All we needed to do now is wait for Kahn and Shisuta to finish clearing the floors.

Good luck guys, we're all counting on you.

...

Kahn and Shisuta had entered the bathhouse with no detection from the enemy. The whole plan was on to a good start.

The first floor was the lobby, and was by far the easiest to clear. There were so many corpses in the room, all they had to do was poison them and wait for the tainted to get the munchies. The rest went like clockwork.

The other floors became increasingly difficult, as stronger soldiers now roamed the facilities. There were also many rooms and offices to scour, all filled with a milita or more of vessels and soldiers. They had accomplished all of the rooms and floors so far.

There was still the second to last floor.

They climbed their way up to their last assigned floor, and were shocked by what they saw.

This room was crowded with tainted super soldiers and mini Wraiths. There was only a single empty attic space on the second to last floor, so hiding wasn't an option. They were able to assimilate, however, there was a slight problem.

Well, actually there were quite a few.

First, there were more than seven groups in the attic. Kill one at a time, and they alarm the other groups of their presence.

Second, the place was so crowded. If they tried to attack all of the captains at once, they might not only miss, but cause a commotion on the top floor.

Third... they were stuck. Yes, stuck in an unfortunate and awkward spot. If they attempted any more rough movements, they would alarm all of the hoards, and the top floor with it.

Not to mention that if any of these scenarios became a reality, they would both die gruesome deaths.

They needed to figure this out, and fast. If they waited until nightfall, the siege would become nearly impossible on Kuhn and Linn's end.

Shisuta gestured to the ceiling, and Kahn saw what she was implying.

There were paper lanterns lit in the room. If one of those were to suddenly flare and cleanse the room, it might not disturb the floor above.

A flare would be silent, an explosion would not be.

It was a toss up, a fifty-fifty chance.

Kahn handed her an arrow, making sure his movements were subtle. All Shisuta had to do was make sure she laced it with the right poison, then they could make their escape, and...

...Her poisons had been mixed up.

Shisuta went into internal panic mode. Kahn saw her face, and looked into her bag. His eyes widened.

"Are you serious!?" He mouthed.

She nodded.

He gave a look that had "we're doomed" written all over it.

She forced herself to calm down. They were not doomed, not if she could help it.

She started opening the vials and smelling the mixtures. She knew this was potentially dangerous, but their options were limited.

She was stuck between two poisons, which both had similar smells.

One would cause an explosion, and the other would either explode or flare.

Their chances had just been cut in half.

She decided to go with the poison that had a weaker fragrance. She coated the arrow and handed it back to Kahn.

He slowly readied his bow, making sure not to draw attention to himself.

He paused before he took the shot.

"Are you sure." He mouthed.

Her eyes fell, and her expression darkened.

"No." She silently replied.

He looked up at the lantern taking only a moment more, and fired.

They had jumped back into the space the where elevator would be if they had taken it. They landed on the wooden beams they had climbed on.

This action most likely alarmed the hoards before the end.

They both closed their eyes, preparing for the worst. It was silent, save the small crackle of some flames in the room.

Kahn opened his eyes, and breathed out the breath he'd been holding in. It flared.

...

Kahn and Shisuta had safely exited the bathhouse, and it didn't seem like they had any followers.

Now it was Kuhn and Linn's turn to inact their phase of the plan.

They ran out of their spots, causing the militias to focus their attention away from us. This was perfect, everything seemed to be going according to plan.

Kahn and Shisuta were in position.

When Kuhn and Linn had drawn away enough of the tainted, our trio made it's move.

We circled around the bathhouse, making an enterance in the back door of the lobby area.

This place was cleared, and... clean? I sighed. That was probably Shisuta's doing.

We had no problem with the other floors, and were making our way to the top floor sooner than expected.

Things were going fine on our end, I just hope the others were holding up okay...

...

Kuhn and Linn were in the thick of a colossal hoard of tainted soldiers. Linn used one of her palm strikes to knock one row after the other into a chain of death and destruction. The problem wasn't their ability to destroy them, it was keeping their attention.

"The weaker ones just keep running away toward the bathhouse!" Yelled Kuhn, launching a larger soldier and his vessels skyward.

"I know right!?" She yelled in reply.

She grabbed one of the fleeing vessels and smashed it's face into the ground.

"You know, for a bunch of super demons, you're all a bunch of damn cowards! I mean, COME ON THIS IS JUST PATHETIC!"

They all stopped and turned to face them, specifically Linn. If they wanted their attention, they definitely had it now.

Well, at least this way there wouldn't be any stragglers.

...

We had made it to the top floor, and were standing at the entrance of Yubaba's office. This was where our fight began. I started to tremble.

 _What if we bit off more than we can chew? I mean there are regular tainted, but this was Yubaba, if she's even the leader._

 _If we screwed this up, we were dead._

 _All of us dead..._

 _The others would also be dead..._

 _So much was resting on this fight, on this floor!_

 _On my abilities! And..._

"Chihiro..." Said a voice. It was Haku.

"Calm down, we all have your back. I promise."

He leaned in, and gave me a soft kiss.

"I won't let us fail."

I regained my cool composure, and nodded.

"Right, let's do this."

We walked into the room to be greeted with a familiar face, and it wasn't Yubaba.

A deep laughter filled the room.

"Well hello again!" Said Kaihn, turning to face us.

"I was wondering when you would show up."


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34: An Impossible Choice

Kahn and Shisuta were perched next to the window of Yubaba's office. They sat in wait, watching for the trio's arrival. So far the upper floor seemed pretty empty, then again, they couldn't see if someone was on the other side of the room.

This enemy would make a much easier target once the fight began. Until then, they had to wait.

"They should be arriving at any time now." Said Shisuta. She was slightly hard to hear, due to the wind speeds at this altitude.

He nodded. "Yes, you're right. However, I fear greatly for their saftey. This is no ordinary vessel they're dealing with."

The group entered the room.

"Quickly, let's take our positions!"

They each took one side of the window, waiting for the fight to break out.

A person stepped forward, and Kahn went pale. Shisuta picked up on his distress, and the fact that the man and him looked alike.

"Kahn, are you alright? Who is that man?"

"That would be my other twin." Said Kahn bitterly. "The wicked one."

"It seems both of us have had similar problems in this department." She replied.

She began coughing, but only for a moment.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." She said. "Just focus on the mission."

He hadn't even asked her yet, but something did seem wrong.

Her color seemed off, like a pale color with red blotches, that cough sounded painful, and she seemed a little wobbly. He decided to focus on the mission like she'd requested, but he'd be keeping an eye on her.

...

Kaihn was alive... I didn't know how this was possible, but I did know that things had just taken a turn for the worst.

"Oh come on Chihiro!" He laughed. "What's the matter, cat got your tongue?"

Zeniba stepped forward. "I see you haven't changed much Kaihn. Well, at least your form suits you now."

He stepped forward as well.

"Indeed, I quite enjoy this form... this power. Would you like a taste?"

She grinned, pulling out her staff.

"A taste? Ha! I hope you've brought more than that to the table!"

She cast a stream of power at him, which he quickly deflected with his own. They were in a struggle of powers now, and there was nothing Haku and I could do without getting ourselves killed.

Lecture three: Never interfere with a witches battleground. You will be sorry.

"My, your such a hasty witch! That's good because I grow weary of this fight already!"

...

It was getting very messy in there. If this didn't end soon, things would be disastrous. Kahn figured that he and Shisuta should begin with the ranged attacks...

...Then an unplanned obstacle caused things to go horribly wrong.

Three things actually.

The first, Shisuta had lost consciousness and was falling from the bathhouse.

The second, two Wraiths had appeared on the battlefield where Kuhn and Linn were fighting.

The third, Zeniba was losing the battle.

He had a split second to come up with a plan, and his mind was drawing a blank.

His mind had decided to do something it has only ever done once. Something it only ever did when faced with something truly impossible...

...The world had stopped around him, giving him a moment of thought.

Kuhn and Linn were faced with a battlefield full of tainted super soldiers and two Wraiths. Their combined survival odds were three percent in a span of five minutes.

Zeniba was locked in magical combat with a tainted Kaihn. Her survival odds were two percent in a span of ten minutes.

Shisuta was poisoned, and falling to her death from the top of the bathhouse. Her survival odds were near zero in a matter of seconds. In way of odds, she was the priority.

However, the entire mission pended on the success of that battle...

...Oh, never mind the mission! It's been botched beyond repair!

He gave a quick knock to the window in morse, telling the trio to get out of there. Hopefully Haku would pick up on it.

He transformed into a cockatrice, and he knew he couldn't catch her like that.

He instead, managed to break her fall with his body. With only the poison to worry about, that gave her at least eight minutes.

Now Kuhn and Linn were the priority...

...Kahn just hoped Haku had gotten the message.

...

I heard a knock on the window, and jumped. Was Kahn really making noise at a time like this!?

Haku looked over at the window, his face frozen in thought. His eyes went wide.

He touched my hand, and I heard his voice in my mind.

"That was a message from Kahn. He told us to abort the mission."

What!? Oh no. It's not like we could run and leave Zeniba, but apparently things have gone far down hill.

Well, so much for lectures one through three.

I disrupted the flow of magic, which sent me crashing into the wall behind me.

I felt a dull pain as one of the ornaments on Yubaba's wall lodged itself into my back. I couldn't move well enough to reach the emergency salve that Shisuta had provided.

...I couldn't move at all.

My legs felt nonexistent, my upper body shot with excruciating amounts of pain, and it was twitching uncontrollably. Haku ran over to me.

Apparently the battle between Kaihn and Zeniba had continued. I just hoped that I gave her a better chance.

"Chihiro! Just hold on..."

Haku pulled out his salve, injecting it into the wound on my back.

The wound began rapidly regenerating new tissue and bone, and I gasped in for air.

Haku helped me stand up, and ran toward the door.

"We can't just leave her!" I exclaimed.

"If we don't leave now, we'll all die!" Said Haku.

Kaihn laughed. "Okay, play time's over witch."

He put all of his force into one blow, and hit Zeniba. I looked back, and she was gone.

...Just like that. Gone.

...Blown away into thin air like it was nothing.

Gone.

No... not her. Not Zeniba!

Kaihn laughed with an uncontrollable maliciousness.

"Wow, you should have seen the look on her face! That was golden!"

My face was pale, and I was shaking.

"Now then, let's finish this shall we?"

He sent the most dark and gut wrenching blast in my direction.

...Was this it? Was this all I amounted to in the end...

...Dead weight?

Haku stepped in front of me, deflecting the blast.

"That's some nice fire magic you've got." Said Haku.

"However, I can see you've never tangled with a river spirit before!"

Kaihn kept his distance, a wicked grin on his face.

"Oh, a river spirit? That sounds like fun! Well Haku, shall we dance?"

He looked at Kaihn, his gaze was steady.

"Well come on then, let's go."

Kaihn shot a flurry of dark fire balls in front of and behind Haku. Haku used a water dome to defuse them, countering with an ice spear.

Kaihn moved to the side and dodged it, but it nicked his shoulder.

They continued to block and counter each other's moves, counter the other's counter.

So far, Haku was winning.

"Why won't you just die worm!?" Yelled Kaihn in a fit of tainted rage.

"You know?" Haku breathed tiredly. "I could ask you the same question."

Kaihn looked at me and smiled.

"Then let's mix things up a little, yes?"

I could see Haku's heart sink as he looked at me. I saw the wall of pain and death coming toward me. There was no way I could block or dodge that.

In that split second my entire world had changed...

Haku, had shifted into a Dragon, and shielded me from the blow.

He flipped me onto him, crashing us out of the window, and flying away from the bathhouse.

We crash landed on the outskirts of the gardens. There were no tainted here.

He was back in his normal form now, his breath was shallow, and blood was leaking out of his nose and mouth.

I held him in my arms. "Don't worry, I'll give you my salve. You're going to be alright..."

I searched my pack... it was gone.

Had it fallen out!?

"No... No! Where is it!? I can't- DAMMIT!"

Haku put his hand to my face, and held it there.

"It's okay Chihiro... I'm fine..."

Tears were spilling out of my eyes, but I didn't care.

"No! It's not okay, and you're not fine! ...Here, let me try to..."

I tried to heal him, but my magic had been drained when dispersing Zeniba's fight.

"No, not now! Not now!"

Haku grabbed my hands. "Chihiro stop, you'll just hurt yourself."

"Don't you get it!?" I screamed. "You're dying!"

He laughed softly. "Yeah... I know."

I burst into tears. "Why are you so...? I don't want to lose you. I just want to go back home, and be with you. Just us, remember!?"

His eyes were brimming with tears.

"I would like nothing more than that..."

His fingers intertwined with mine, and his other hand stroked my face.

"Do you think we'll meet again...?" I asked, barely whispering.

His lower lip quivered. "S-Sure we will..."

I squeezed his hand. "Promise me?"

A tear slipped down his cheek...

...He never answered.


	35. Chapter 35

****Don't stop reading, I swear it will be worth your while. Just hang in there until the end if you can, I know this part of the story sucks. Trust me.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 35.****

Chapter 35: Shattered

Kahn had just finished injecting the antidote into Shisuta. They had all escaped the bathhouse safely. Kuhn, Linn, Shisuta, and himself. All Kahn could do is pray that the others survived.

It was starting to get darker as they searched, and Shisuta couldn't walk well at all.

"Let's rest a moment Shisuta, you look exhausted."

Kahn tried to grab her shoulder, but she shrugged it off.

"No, I can't be the reason we have to stop! I'm already the reason that the mission has failed. If anything has happened to them, it's on my head!"

Kahn walked next to her.

"That's nonsense, you can't just blame yourself for-"

"Oh, is that so!? Well watch me!" She interrupted.

It was at these moments that you remembered she was only twelve. This meant that at times, she was prone to acting like it.

Kahn stepped in front of her.

"If you insist on wasting the time and effort I spent in saving your life, then I will have no choice but to restrain you. Sit down. Or I will restrain you, your choice."

Shisuta had lost her composure. It was a mixture of lingering delirium from the poison, mental exhaustion, and legitimate guilt for endangering her friends.

She completely lost it.

"So you would restrain me? Well, if this is how it goes, when our friends could be DYING! THEY COULD BE DEAD! Because we 'insist' on standing here and FIGHTING! DOING NOTHING! Why did you even save me, when the mission depended on THEM!? ARE YOU-"

"That's enough!" Kuhn snapped, cutting her off.

"I agree that we shouldn't stop looking yet, because anyone who has enough energy to scream like that isn't dying. Kahn saved all of our lives, and he's just looking out for you. If you need to get your point across, do it calmly. Do you have any idea how much time we've wasted because you decided to blow up? You would have taken up a lot less search time, if you had just stopped and explained yourself."

She was silent. Kuhn was right.

She nodded slowly and turned away.

"Let's keep looking then." She said, her voice monotone.

They had continued looking for where Haku had landed. Kahn, Kuhn, and Linn had all seen him flying out of the bathhouse window. They knew he had landed somewhere near here...

...Shisuta stopped walking, her face frozen.

"Hey, what's wrong? Why are we stopping?" Asked Linn.

Shisuta walked slowly over to Chihiro, and it didn't take the others long to see her.

She was curled up on the ground, her face stained with tears. She was still sobbing softly, sleeping in a mess of blood.

They all stood over her in horrified silence.

Shisuta picked her up, and set her down near a pond. She grabbed some gauze from her pack, and began to wipe the blood and tears from her face. The others approached the two girls. Kahn sat beside Shisuta and Chihiro, Linn knelt down on the other side, and Kuhn followed after.

Shisuta had finished a temporary clean up on Chihiro. She began humming softly.

Chihiro was calmed by her voice, so she began to sing a soft song.

 _"Rivers touch the morning sun..._

 _The water glitters like the stars..._

 _You'll hold me when this day is done..._

 _Near or far, near or far..._

 _The land shall freeze and wash with snow..._

 _What once held flowers, cold and hard..._

 _But in the ice the river flows..._

 _On and on, on and on..._

 _Oh if the river were to dry..._

 _If ever such a day should come..._

 _Then I would look up at the sky..._

 _On and on, on and on..._

 _Upon my passing crystal tears..._

 _Falling on the river bed..._

 _And on this night the stars are clear..._

 _The river flowing, on and on, on and on..._

 _On and on again."_

She continued to hum softly, tears streaming down her own face. Chihiro had long gone into a deeper sleep, and Shisuta was beside herself with greif. She stopped humming.

"Why couldn't have it been me...?" She whispered.

"You should have let me fall..."

Linn pulled her into a hug.

"Aw, sweety... it's no one's fault. You're a good girl, you know that?"

She cried softly, accepting the hug.

Kahn felt his own share of guilt. He hated seeing Shisuta blame herself, because in reality, he felt he was to blame for the worst of it. Both Haku and Zeniba were his friends, and now they were dead.

"It's my fault... it's... all my fault..." This is all she could say that was coherent.

Kahn felt tears pressing behind his own eyes, but this time he had to hold them back.

He leaned close to her and stroked her hair. "Please don't blame yourself... Please... You're not to blame."

She shook her head softly. "No... I am."

 _Of all the people I wouldn't want to see like this... Shisuta... Why are you saying that?_

 _Why do children have to be dragged into horrible battles and terrible wars? And now she's blaming herself for those who have died... Why did she agree to come with us? How could I let this happen!?_

 _Now she'll never forgive herself for something I caused._

 _...It was me!_

He could no longer contain his sorrow.

"N-No Shisuta..." He mumbled, tears spilling out of his eyes.

"It was me... it's my fault, not yours."

Everyone was a wreck on the way back to the cabin, and when Boh got the news, he was no better. The morale of this entire group of friends had sank to rock bottom. No one would speak for days, and the air would fill with a heavy hopelessness.

You may be surprised about who stands up, and breaks the silence.


	36. Chapter 36

****Hey readers, I was browsing on youtube, and I found this song that totally describes the post battle/Chihiro Haku emotions. It's called My Demons and it's by Starset.**

youtube **-**. **-** com **-** /#/watch?v=LSvOTw8UH6s

 **That's the link if you're interested. Just copy and paste it into your browser. Erase the dashes in bold, those were put there so I could post the link.**

 **I do not own this song or have rights to any of it, it is simply for your enjoyment.**

 **If that kind of thing is well recieved by you guys, I will post more links like this.**

 **The review made my day by the way. :D**

 **Enjoy Chapter 36! :)****

Chapter 36: The Ripple Effect

I needed to get up.

I needed to achieve some form of movement, or accomplish something...

 _...No, I don't want to move ever again. I don't want to think, do, or breath..._

 _(Well, I can't stay here forever. It's been days of just this, and I haven't eaten yet.)_

 _I don't want to eat... I'm not hungry._

 _(Yes I am, I know I am. I've just been letting myself starve, like some helpless victim!)_

 _Shut up! Let me grieve... I'm not acting like a victim, I am a victim!_

 _(Well, I'm not helpless am I? I could easily get up and make myself a sandwich or something! But no, I'm just being a sorry coward!)_

 _Fine._

I sat up slowly, and the light from the window hurt my eyes. Did I really want to move?

No, but I had no choice. For some reason I just couldn't bring myself to starve. Lately the hunger pains had been calling loudly, and I couldn't help but eat. When I ate, I ate a lot.

I felt like such a pig.

However, it couldn't be helped. It hurt not to eat, and sometimes it hurt to eat. It often made me sick.

Ha, probably because I gorge myself...

I was in a foul mood today. Not that I was in a good mood often, but today was different. Today I was angry. I don't quite know why I was, in fact, it seemed almost pointless how angry I was. But I was dammit!

The sun looked past the top of the sky, so it was later in the day.

"Damn you sun. You and your late day brightness."

I walked over to the counter, and sliced some bread. The familiar smells of tea leaked from the cabinets and cupboards, sending in a wave of depression. I felt tears falling again as I munched on bread.

"Ah, stop! Stop crying! Why do I cry so much?"

Someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around.

"What, what is-! ...Oh, it's just you Boh. Sorry..."

I could never yell at Boh, I couldn't even manage to get mad at him. Which today, spoke volumes.

"It's okay..." He said softly. "Um, I was just wondering if you would share some bread?"

I handed him a slice, and we sat at the table. It felt strange, because we hadn't eaten meals together since we'd gotten back.

"Uh, so I've been practicing my... my fighting skills, and I figured out I'm good with an axe."

I sighed. "Why are you doing that? None of us are training any more, and the mission... well..."

"It failed." He finished. "I know. I know because my Aunt died in that mission."

He stood, and I could feel my own heart pounding.

"I also know, I won't let it end that way! She said... She told me..."

Tears began flowing steadily out of his eyes.

"She told me that mission was the last hope! She was SCARED! Scared, but she did it anyway... Well, I'm scared Chihiro, but I'm going to do it any way. The mission isn't over, not until we save the world."

I stopped.

I wish that everyone in the group had seen what I had just seen. Had realized they had been bested in bravery by a child, and been brought to tears like me. Tears that gave me the strength to stand and realize what we were fighting for.

I wouldn't let the mission end until it was finished. I wouldn't let the death of my love, Haku, go in vain.

...I was starting to remember a time not long ago, when I was just like Boh. Youth can be the ultimate wisdom, and I wasn't wasting any more of it moping around.

I stood. "Well... we can't save the world without a team, can we?"

For the first time in days, Boh smiled.

"Chihiro, really!? I knew you'd never let me down, you're an awesome friend!"

I felt more tears fall in spite of myself. Why was I crying so much anyway?

Oh well, Boh and I had a team to gather.

I stepped outside, and looked at everyone. They were all scattered around the cabin yard, all in a state of sloth.

I sighed. "Alright, everyone get up."

They turned to face me, they looked shocked. I guess I was the last person they expected to here this from.

"Yeah, that's right. I'm up. I've lost almost everything, and I'm up."

I gestured to Boh. "Boh lost everything to, and he's up. He stood, and he was the first one to stand!"

Their eyes were on us now, we had their full attention.

"In fact, Boh's been training. Yeah, he's just a kid, but there's something there that we don't have. It's not because we can't have it, it's because we've chosen not to. This bravery, perseverence, and just plain headstrong never give up attitude. I'm standing now because of him!"

They sat and stared in motionless awe.

"So are we going to become sitting ducks for the tainted, and slander the lives of the lost? Do you think Zeniba would have wanted us to wait here and be killed, while her only nephew stands and fights? No, she would not."

Boh spoke up. "And No-Face agrees with me!"

No-Face appeared beside him, and stood with us.

"So there's three." I said. "Who else is going to stand and help?"

Kuhn stood first. "Well, I can't just stand by and be bested by a kid. I'm in."

Linn stood. "Yeah? Well I've got news for you Kuhn, I won't be bested by a kid OR a man. I'm in.

Kahn stood. "Those two? Well..." I guess he was in?

Shisuta stood, and went next to Kahn.

"Don't be ridiculous, you would get nowhere without the powerful science of Alchemy! It would be as if you roamed into a war zone with nothing but spears, no... Not even that! Like walking in carrying flimsy sticks sharpened with a dull piece of glass! A single dull piece of glass! ..."

Her head hung, and her voice was monotone.

"Glass. A hard brittle substance, typically transparent or translucent, made by fusing sand with soda, lime, and sometimes..."

She shook her head. "Suffice to say, I am also 'in'."

It took me everything I had not to face palm at that.

"Okay, so we're all going to be training again?"

They nodded.

Kuhn spoke. "My thought is, we need to figure out where we went wrong."

"I think I know the reason." Said Kahn. "And it's a tactical flaw."

We all gave him our attention.

"The plan we had originally was good in theory, but there were some basic flaws I think should be brought to light. First, we were spread out too thinly. So if something we're to go wrong, which it did, our odds of survival and escape decrease significantly. Second, there were no other plans to fall on if something went wrong. We need to be prepared for the worst, even the smallest detail which you would least expect. Third, and last. Our mission was a covert one, yet we were making ourselves known via distraction. This puts a lot of weight on your ranged and stealth fighters, who are supporting factors. Unless the mission is fully covert, the ranged fighters should not carry the field. Because of these things, the enemy is now aware of us and our motives."

Shisuta nodded. "That is a good point... while we have been sitting here, they could be searching for our location. This brings to my attention, the fact that they could have already found us. I fear if we stay here any longer, we are subject for an ambush."

"Where are we supposed to go?" Asked Linn.

"I mean, I get your point, but we're going to need more than tents to protect us."

"What about the cottage?" I asked. For some reason, I immediately regretted it.

"That is an excellent idea." Said Kahn.

"I agree." Said Kuhn. "Not only is it on an island surrounded by water, but it's close enough to the bathhose to escape suspicion."

Linn smiled, catching on. "And far enough away that they won't see us... great thinking Chihiro!"

I felt my face turn a soft red.

"Well, you're the one's that thought of all the other things. I just suggested a place."

Kuhn walked up to me. "No, you did more than just suggest, you stood."

Linn spoke. "Yeah, and now you're the reason we're all off our lazy selves. So deal with the praise."

She put a hand on my shoulder.

"You've really grown a lot since we first met, and after all of this? I'm really proud of you."

Kahn nodded. "We all are."

I was speechless. Then I felt more tears.

"Ugh, I keep crying today... It's so annoying. I swear, sometimes I feel like a bathhouse fossit!"

They all laughed.

"Trust me." Said Linn. "I know the feeling."

The morale of the group rose from zero to one hundred and ten percent, and the feeling carried us with speed all the way to the cottage.

The cottage however, had gained some new winged inhabitants. I was pretty sure that this time it wasn't Myrmas.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Hive Mind

They were everywhere. They looked different from the Myrmas, but only by a little.

What were they doing here?

I wasn't sure how I felt about this yet.

Kahn walked up to one of the female Lumina.

"Greetings, I can see that you are Lumina. What brings you to a place like this?"

She laughed, it was light and airy.

"Why not this place? None of our hunters are able to reside here, so it's our safe haven now."

Kahn nodded. "I see."

She beamed. "Wow, you're so friendly, you and your friends can stay here if you like!"

 _We CAN stay here? What is all of this? This is my home, of course I can stay here!_

"What, do I need your permission to stay in my own home?"

She seemed taken aback by that.

"Well, we have claimed this territory... so sorry for the inconvenience."

I busted out laughing, though most of it was bitterly based.

"No, I'm sorry for the inconvenience, because your all going to leave now!"

She rolled her eyes. "She cannot stay because I don't like her."

Linn walked up to her, grabbing her by the throat of her tunic.

"Look, I don't give a damn about what you've claimed. This is her home, and I don't care who the hell you are! I'll palm blast you into the depths of unknown oblivion!"

I felt my form change. I didn't know how this was possible, unless the seal had broken.

"No Linn, I'll handle this..." the little Lumina woman looked up at me, and she looked scared.

"I-I didn't know who you were ma'am, I'm sorry!"

"You have displeased me! What will you do to fix this?" I felt almost out of myself, but I felt powerful.

"R-Right this way your Majesty! I-"

I felt another form surface, no, the two forms. Two forms at the same time.

I grabbed her by the throat.

"Amuse me, but make it quick. I haven't eaten in a while..."

She blasted a light ball at me.

"The queen! She's a Demi-Blood, and the Blood's have begun to mix! Come, you know what to do!"

I felt the world around me turn black, and slipped into darkness.

I felt a spark of consciousness fill me, but everything was still dark.

"Where am I...?"

I heard a dark laughter, something mischievous in the darkness.

I couldn't see anything in front of me. I went to lift my hand in front of my face, but it was so dark, my hands and everything seemed nonexistent.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Chihiro...? No, that's your name."

She laughed, and this time it was more friendly. Something gave me a very unstable vibe about her.

"Well, then you can call me Sen. SEN!" She broke into a fit of maniacal laughter.

"How about it Chihiro? You wanna team up!?"

"Are you okay? Because you sound like you're completely insane." That might get me killed, but at least I was honest.

She laughed louder. "I am! How could you tell?"

Her voice became darker. "I can see you're the honest sort, I like that. Speak your mind, I won't betray honesty."

"How many of you are there?" I asked.

Her voice became light and mischievous. "Oh, it's just me! Hey, I can turn the lights on if you want!"

I nodded. "I'd like that very much."

I found myself in a lavish looking room. It looked like it could fit any of the three personas that this woman took.

It was dim enough to suit her darkness, fancy enough to suit her nice side, and outlandish enough to satisfy her insanity.

I looked at the girl standing before me, and it... it was me.

She looked like me, but she was a dark red shadow.

She gestured toward a red table, nicely carved with purple stripes. She pulled out a dark wood chair.

"Sit, and I'll make some cookies."

I sat, the chairs were really comfortable. She sat in front of me, and a pie materialized in front of us.

"This is a pie." I said.

She held a fork and stabbed it into the pie thirty six times. I know because she counted for each time she stabbed.

She laughed. "Sorry about that!" She scooped up some of the mutilated pie and shoved a bite in my mouth. It tasted just like a cookie.

"That is pretty good..." I said. She was definitely strange, but that was some good pie.

Her laugh became slightly dark and very mischievous.

"Hey, you could stay here forever... but I like you, so I'm going to give a choice."

"What's the choice?" I asked.

"Well, you could stay here, and I would keep your body. You'd be free from pain and suffering, and I'd always be around to keep you company."

I nodded. "Got it, and the second choice?"

She grinned. "Or, we could work together."

I felt suspicious of this, but I had a feeling I didn't want to be on her bad side.

"Could you elaborate?" I asked.

She nodded slowly, her expression was fully darkened now.

"I would serve you when you were in peril, crushing all of your foes. In exchange for some air time, and I would get to play for a while..."

The tone was mischievous again.

That sounded fair, but there needed to be ground rules.

"Alright, I chose the second choice. On one condition."

She laughed softly. "Oh, I love things like this! Well go on, say it!"

"Do not harm my friends while you're out playing, or at any other time." As long as my friends weren't in danger, I could use the extra power...

 _"STOP! Don't listen to her Chihiro!"_

 _What was that? A voice? It sounded so familiar..._

 _"That's right, just close your eyes, and follow the sound of my voice..."_

 _What...? Is that...?_

I was aware of myself again. I was tied down to the large tree in my own yard, and there were people talking around me.

"Well we can't just leave her like this!?" Said Kuhn.

"She's obviously no longer a threat. If she wakes up like this, she'll feel like some kind of monster!"

The Lumina woman spoke. "Well, what did she look like to you?"

She scoffed. "The only reason we've kept her alive is because she's our queen. She's lucky we haven't thrown her in the ocean, for all the damage she's caused."

He balled his fists. "I'd just love to see you try!"

"Forget her Kuhn." I said. "Just, please untie me..."

He walked over to me and began cutting the ropes. "I'm really sorry Chihiro, are you okay?"

I thought about today's events, and his voice in my mind. Was I really okay?

"No... I'm not okay." I answered.

He sighed. "Yeah... I can see that."

He pulled something from his pocket, and handed it to me.

"Here, he would have wanted you to have it."

I held the little pink shoe in my hand... He had kept it all this time?

Kuhn smiled sadly. "He would always talk about you, even before you came back. He said he kept this with him because it was a reminder of what you had given him. He always talked about this vow he'd made to protect you..."

His eyes were filling with tears.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be-"

I hugged him. "No... I know that he was your friend too."

He cried softly. "I'm sorry... I should be comforting you..."

I felt my own tears rise.

"We'll comfort each other."

"How shameful, for a queen to carry herself in such a manner."

She was starting to get on my nerves.

I stood. "What part of someone died don't you understand!?"

"Well, then it must have been his chosen time. Yes?" She was glaring at me.

I was completely disgusted with these people. The tainted took lives without feeling or care, the Lumina were no better, because they cared little for the lives they saved. There was a general apathy, and as far as I was concerned, they were the same.

The only difference was that the Lumina were civilized enough not to kill us. This is why we hadn't killed them.

I glared at her and walked away. At least I could get some peace in my own...

In my house too!? They didn't even seem to notice me. They were throwing around Haku's cast iron pan in a game of catch.

I was about to explode, when a young boy Lumina spoke, grabbing the pan out of their reach.

"This is completely wrong! Why can none of you ever see that these things you do are horribly disrespectful!?"

Another man spoke, he was older than the boy.

"What's your problem Karo? Mad because you aren't in the hive?"

He fumed. "You know, I've had it with the hive! I hate this stupid hive, and I'm glad I'm not connected with you ingrates!"

The man grabbed him by his shirt, grabbing back the pan.

"You might not want to talk like that, the high queen's here now have you heard? Now let us get back to our game of catch, which you rudely inter-"

I walked up to him and punched him in the face.

"I'm sorry, was your high queen interrupting your innocent game?"

He stuttered on the ground like a fool.

"H-H-High queen!? Y-Your Majesty, we were just-!"

"I saw what you were doing!" I barked, picking up the pan.

"Now get out of here, before I decide I'm angry enough to beat you with this pan!"

They all scattered out of the house.

"Um, miss? I'm really sorry..." Said the boy. "Do you want me to leave too?"

I sighed. "Your name is Karo right?"

He nodded.

"No, you can stay... I don't mind."

I sat on the bed holding the pan, and smelled a familiar scent.

We had been gone for so long, and the bed still smelled just like him...

I looked at the pan, and saw little red spots. Rust?

I found myself laughing. "Well, you were right Haku. If you wash these they can rust..."

I curled up on the bed. I held the blankets we had wrapped ourselves in, and cried into them.

Karo sat on the edge of the bed.

"Did Haku... Did he used to live here with you?"

"Yes..." I said.

"We were lovers. He died protecting me from the tainted."

He put a hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him.

"I don't know how it feels like to lose a lover. I do know what it feels like to lose a father, a sister, and a mother."

"You're not like the other Lumina, are you Karo?" I was curious. Was this loss what made him so different?

He shook his head. "No, I'm not. I used to be, but not anymore."

"What happened?" I asked.

His expression looked bleak as he spoke.

"When I was very young, my family and I were all a part of the upper Lumina circle. We were all so happy, but now I see we were simply lulled into a false sense of bliss. The Lumina you saw in here do not know the ways of the world, or rather, they do not understand them. My family and I were kidnapped by these men. Horrible men with mazes... mazes full of children. Children who were forced to kill eachother. My family had resisted such an awful act, and refused to send me in there. This was the beginnings of our severing to the hive."

"Severing to the hive?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yes, an act of love is what severed us from our hive, and bound our minds together. We had hived within our own family, bound by the suffering that brought us together. However, because they had resisted, my mother was brutally butchered... they did it as an example!"

He was trembling, and I put my arm around him.

"You don't have to tell me this if it hurts you this badly..."

He shook his head. "No, I'll finish." He continued with his story.

"I was sent into the maze for the first time, and all I could do was hide. I was so scared... I didn't want to kill anyone! ...I met this girl there... she was really beautiful. She had the nicest light brown hair, green eyes, she was even dressed in the nicest little dress. It was a dark green. It was darker than the maze walls, and reminded me of moss. Don't ask me why I thought of that, but-"

"Wait." I stopped him for a moment. "This girl didn't happen to be a woman named Nina, did she?"

His eyes went wide. "How do know Nina?"

"We were friends, and she helped me quite a bit. What about you?"

He shrugged. "Like I said, I met her in the maze... She comforted me, and told me she could help me and my little sister escape this place. My sister was much to young to be in the maze, but they still subjected her to horrible amounts of torture! Her wings... Just sawed off her wings... that screaming! That horrible SCREAMING-!"

I stopped him. "It's alright now! Just, calm down... You don't have to talk about it anymore... I think I understand why you're not connected with the others now."

He sighed. "Yeah... I get a lot of trouble for it too. The only reason they let me stick around is because of pity and this obligation they have to their own. I shouldn't complain, because if it weren't for that, I'd be completely alone..."

"You don't have to be alone." I said. "Who needs them anyway? Come on, I'll introduce you to my friends. They aren't complete jerks like these guys."

He stood and followed me out of the cottage.

Karo, who is a Lumina, but also not a Lumina. I don't think I mind him at all.


	38. Chapter 38

****I am really excited for these next few chapters, because I'm really getting in to the habit of writing this. I have more time on my hands than usual, so this should be fun.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 38! :)****

Chapter 38: Roses are Red, and So are Some Toad's

I took Karo to meet the others, and he seemed to become increasingly nervous as we approached them.

"Um Chihiro?" Said Kahn. "You are aware that there is a Lumina boy hiding behind you? At least I would hope so."

I sighed. "There's really no need to be so shy Karo, these guys are alright."

He stepped out a little bit. "Uh, h-hi. Well, I guess you know my name... So... yeah."

He hid back behind me again.

Wow, he really was shy.

"Karo isn't like the other Lumina, he's really kind and nice. Unlike the others we've met."

They all nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, they're all so stuck up!" Said Linn.

Karo stepped out a little further.

"They're all, Oh! We're all friendly perfect little angels! Look at me! Look how amazing my wings are, oh, your mom just died. Well you suck. I mean, what a bunch of uncultured floozies!"

Karo tried to contain his grin as he sat among the group.

Kuhn added on to that. "Yeah, I bet they drink tea out of wine cups and discuss politics with their pinkies lifted."

Karo started laughing. "Well, they might as well! I'm sure Karin would make a big meeting over the suggestion. I should totally bring that up, just so I can paint it! I'd hang it in my room, and laugh myself to sleep every night... Oh sorry, was that too much?"

Linn laughed. "Hey where'd you find this kid, Chihiro? He's great!"

"I found him in my house, defending my things." I said.

"Oh..." Said Linn. "You went out of your way to help her like that?"

Linn held out her hand. "Welcome to the group kid, make yourself at home."

He looked at her hand, and poked it.

Another Shisuta!?

"Uh, you're supposed to shake it." She said.

"Oh, sorry." He said. He grabbed her arm, and started shaking it about.

Linn pulled her hand back. "Wow you're a weird one!" She exclaimed.

He held his head down. "Sorry, I'm really sorry!"

Linn smacked her palm to her face.

"That doesn't mean I dislike you. You're just wierd. Weird isn't always a bad thing."

He looked up. "You mean you weren't shunning me just then?"

She sighed. "No. Damn Karo, how much crap have these jerks given you?"

He shook his head. "You have no idea."

Shisuta walked up and joined the group.

"Hello friends, how are... Who is this person? May I have an introduction?"

His face went a light red, and he walked up to her.

"Hi, I'm Karo, I'm a Lumina living... Well, not exactly like a Lumina, but- well, anyway I promise I'm not rude. Nice to meet you what's your name?"

She smiled and held out her hand.

"My name is Shisuta, and what may I... Oh yes that's right." She pulled her hand back.

"You have already given me your name Karo. That is how it works isn't it? Oh well, I detest this bothersome 'handshake' anyway."

He gave a sigh of relief. "Ugh, thank God! I'm not the only one..."

She smiled. "Well, I had better get back to my research."

She began to walk away. "Wait! Umm... What do you research?"

She stopped for a moment, then turned around practically beaming.

"Do you really want to know!? I could show you, if it is not too much trouble!"

He smiled. "Sure, I'd-"

She immediately dragged him off.

"Come with me! Come, and feast your eyes on the wonders of Alchemical SCIENCE!"

Linn couldn't stop laughing.

"Uh oh, I'd say he's in for a real treat." Said Kuhn.

Kahn laughed softly. "Yes, he may be sorry he asked."

I smiled. "Yeah, but I don't think he'll say anything. I think he likes her."

Kahn started full on laughing.

"Well, that's a shame. She's more oblivious than I am!"

He calmed himself, but was still smiling.

"He'd have to be blunt with her, and seeing how timid he is, well..."

Hmm... I wonder how long it would take before her ramblings drove him insane? Oh well, I guess we'll know soon enough.

...

"And this is how the red toad mixes with the glow snake at these proportions, and these one's, and these one's! All producing astoundingly different effects! Though you wouldn't want to mix them in those two proportions in the wrong order. It would cause a small explosion!"

Karo heard toad, and explosion.

He smiled. "I wonder if we could make a toad blow up on Karin's dinner plate...?"

"An exploding toad? I can't say I've tried it. Who is Karin? Someone you dislike?"

He sighed. "Yeah, I think she was the one you met earlier. The one who restrained... um, your friend."

"The horrid woman who had talked down to Chihiro!? Well then..."

She looked at him. "Karo, we will make a toad blow up in her dinner! It will get all over her face, and ruin her shiny tunic. THIS I promise!"

She handed him a red toad.

"And you're going to help me!"

"What!? Well, I don't know how to make frogs explode!" He exclaimed.

"They're toads, Karo. Toads." She thought for a moment.

"How good are you at cooking?" She asked.

"I'd say I'm quite excellent at it?" He answered. "Why do you ask?"

She grinned. "Because I want you to make it look and smell so delicious, that she salavates before it explodes in her face!"

He smiled mischievously. "I like the way you think!"

She laughed. "Oh, but you should make it taste horrible, so she screams when it goes flying into her mouth!"

He busted out laughing. "Okay, okay! I'll see what I can do!"

He cooked the toad to near perfection, sizzling as it's wonderful aroma filled the room. He felt almost bad about using this scentless bitter chemical. It would completely ruin his meal! Then he remembered... it wasn't his meal, it was Karin's. He gave the toad a tripple dosing of nasty, and handed it to Shisuta.

"One deliciously appearing, horrible tasting toad, as ordered."

She smiled. "Your timing is excellent, I have just finished the formula."

She injected this clear, scentless substance into the toad.

"This will not react with the toads chemicals, but will explode when in contact with saliva."

She injected another substance deeper into the toad's tissues. It was glowing blue and green in the vial, but was well concealed in the toad. It also left the meal unmarked.

"This one is going to be a fun surprise." She said with a smirk.

He didn't know what she had planned, but he couldn't wait to find out.

He prepared an equally appealing and nasty salad side. The plate had to look complete after all.

Karo and Shisuta walked out, their plate loaded with Karin's nasty surprise.

...

I saw Karo and Shisuta walking up to that female Lumina carrying...

...was that food!?

"Hey guys, I think those kids are up to something..."

Kahn looked over at them.

"Shisuta. I can guarantee Alchemy has some part in this."

Kuhn looked. "Well, they're handing her food... so-"

Linn practically jumped over Kuhn.

"I've got to see this!"

They all kept a safe distance away from the scene.

The female Lumina stared hungrily over her plate. She was drooling all over it.

Then, before she could take her first bite...

...Something wonderful happened.

The food exploded and landed all over her face and upper body.

She began gagging and choking. Karo and Shisuta were rolling around on the ground, laughing up a storm. Karo laughed louder when her face began to glow, emitting horrible smells with every ray of light.

"Ack! That's horrible! What am I tasting!?"

"Revenge!" He laughed. "Sweet revenge! Now every time you open your mouth, it will be like a smelly flashlight!"

I started laughing, and so did everyone else. Well, Linn started laughing when her food exploded. Oh well, it was all pretty hilarious.

"What is the meaning of this Karo!?" She snapped.

He smirked. "Well, for you it means mouthwash, and a pond full of soap!"

She grabbed him by the neck of his shirt, and held him there.

"Have these newcomers caused you to forget your place?"

"I'm warning you." He said, his expression dark. "You might want to let go of me."

She laughed. "Look at this worm! Thinking he can push me around... You are nothing more than a piece of the past, because your poor little daddy was murdered. You're just a-!"

"I warned you!" He yelled.

He shoved her off, and a warhammer appeared in his hands. He knocked her in the gut with it's hilt, sending her to her knees.

"Karin, I would suggest that you shut the hell up. For once."

Boh ran up to us. He had been playing in the field, looking for wildlife.

"Guys! So I found this really cool bear! It was so cute! And... Woah..."

Boh continued to stare at the thirteen year old boy, Karo. He stared in wonder at the scene before him.

"Hey, did you knock down that mean girl with that awesome hammer!?"

She marched away angrily, the other Lumina giving her a wide girth. I didn't blame them, she was pretty ransid.

He smiled. "Yep, I just knocked her down though. She's not really a threat. That wasn't the best demonstration of my skills, but-"

"Can you please teach me how to use an axe?" Boh asked.

"I know it's not the same as a hammer, but please?"

He looked at Boh. "Well, you're young, but that never stopped me."

He gave a sly grin. "And with your size you've got to be strong, right? I bet you could wield both an axe AND a hammer. With my training if course."

I had to roll my eyes at that. I didn't doubt he was serious, but wow, what a show off.

"You mean at the same time!?"

He ran up to Karo and suffocated him in a hug.

"Yay! Thank you thank you thank you! Um... what's your name?"

"K-Ka...Karo! P-Please... put me down!"

"Oh sorry, I get a little carried away sometimes..."

We laughed as Karo dramatically gasped in for air.

Oh well, so he's a show off sometimes... he seemed to make Boh pretty happy.

It was so nice to be laughing about something again. I wish that everyone were here with us, so they could be laughing with us too.

I looked up at the sky, and smiled.

Who knows? For all we know, they could be laughing with us right now.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Taming the Beast, Their Side and Our Side

I was tired.

I was very tired.

It was almost 2:30 in the morning, and I wasn't asleep. The Luminas were throwing an all night party right next to my house, and I was in an extremely foul mood! They were making it worse!

I sat up, throwing the covers off of me.

"I can't sleep. I can't sleep because of them. Someone's going to die painfully, and it will be one of them!"

"I know right?" Said Karo. There were dark circles under his eyes.

"Once they found the Ambrosia, they couldn't help themselves. I personally don't touch the stuff."

"Will someone please shut them up!?" Linn begged.

"They've been at it for three days now... And I've gotten no sleep."

I stood. "I'll handle it."

I walked out of the door, my hands pulsed with magic. I even used it to amplify my voice.

"Everyone SHUT THE HELL UP!" I yelled. They were all silent.

"There are people trying to sleep, and you're all making asses of yourselves!"

Karin walked up to me, her face was still glowing.

"Why do we have to take orders from someone who has never known our customs!?"

The other Lumina turned to look at me.

"She probably doesn't even understand the hive well enough to control us, so why should she be bossing us around!?"

They all started to stir and mumble in agreement.

"All we really need her for is survival, other than that, she doesn't have to be mobile. She just needs to be alive, and there are more of us then there are of her! So I'll be in charge from now on!"

They all cheered in response.

"My first order. Tie this bitch up, and do the same with her friends. Make sure she stays alive, the rest can starve!"

They all started to surround me. There were a lot of them, and I was...

I was angry. This anger consumed me, and I fell into darkness again.

...

They came out to Chihiro's defense as soon as the order was sent. Kuhn and Linn had been itching to land a good blow on one of them anyway. The ran up to Chihiro, and realized she had changed again.

It was the same form she took last time.

The form was more bestial than human, and it was definitely a sight to see. She glowed with a blood red light permeating from her skin, her nails had grown into claws, and teeth into shark like fangs. She was crouched on all fours, the way a wolf would be when preparing to strike. In this form she was deadly, and had power over shadow and light. Not only could she glide across the air as if she were running on ground, she could use the power of shadows to smash into the ground and disintegrate her enemies.

This was what the Lumina had called, forbidden mixing of the blood's.

This may actually aid them if they stay out of the way, however, there was always one issue with this form that couldn't be ignored.

It was highly unstable, and the attack patterns were often at random.

Kahn shivered as he remembered her that day. The creature taking over her form, mutilating and sparing Lumina on a whim. The only pattern it had was, when it did decide to kill, it killed in families. Two Lumina households were destroyed that day, and it was a horrific sight to see.

The beast growled. "I see you think it's okay to mess with Chihiro... we ate pie together once, and it was the best cookie I had ever made!"

Oh yeah, and the beast was completely insane. It stopped in the middle of battle last time, walked up to Kahn, and asked for an umbrella.

It said it needed one, because it was raining blood, and soaking the ugly kimono.

Kahn handed it his jacket, which was destroyed soon after.

"I'll...I'll make you m-more cookies!" Said Karin, shaking in fear.

The creature laughed maniacally. "You're baked goods would pale in comparison to my glorious pies!"

It's expression went dark. "...And I take offense to that."

It grabbed Karin's head, and popped it like a water balloon. The other Lumina backed away in fear, as it finished off the rest of her family.

It pranced around, pleased by what it had done.

It turned to the others, who were frozen with fear.

"Now then, who has a mop? The porch is covered in blood. Why don't you halfbreeds make a mop, and I'll make some cake!"

They scattered to the other side of the field in different directions.

It shrugged, and looked at the group.

"Well, I'm not allowed to kill you... Chihiro was very specific on that detail."

"Do you know Chihiro?" Karo asked. He figured it would be best to not make it mad. Besides, he was curious.

The creature stared at his hands.

"A chef, and an artist!? I like the way you think boy. In fact, I would choose not to kill you!"

It laughed. "I can play here for a little longer! Come boy, let us drown in chocolate and pie!"

Karo wasn't sure he liked where this was going, so he changed the subject.

"Um, I know how to make gourmet food out of alchemy ingredients. This time it won't explode, it will just taste good."

It was all he could think of at the moment.

It turned to him and sat down.

"Then you shall be my host, and my order is... Something with, yes that's it... get to it esteemed chef!"

It burst out into laughter, but continued to sit and wait for it's meal.

Karo entered the cottage, and so did Shisuta, Kuhn, and Linn. Kahn stayed out to keep an eye on the creature while Chihiro was away.

"Aw man..." Said Karo nervously. "It was literally the first thing that popped into my head!"

"Just make sure it's good, alright?" Said Kuhn.

"Yeah..." Said Linn, fidgeting nervously.

"Just because it can't kill us, doesn't mean it can't maime us, so don't piss it off."

Karo stuck with the red toad, because it was something he had already worked with. He cooked it with perfection, dressing it with only the finest ingredients. Making the presentation simple, but elegant without a side dish. No matter who he was cooking for, man or beast, he knew his customers. And from the looks of this one, it enjoyed good food, but did not like a frivolous plate."

"That smells awesome, damn kid, you weren't kidding!"

He nodded. "Thank you Linn, I really do enjoy this art."

"She's right." Shisuta commented. "It is even better than the last one."

He blushed softly. "Th-Thanks Shisuta... I'll have to make you something next time I get the chance..."

He looked at the door. "But right now, my customer awaits."

He opened the door, and walked over to the sitting beast. He sat down next to it, handing it the plate.

"Try this, it's good."

It shoved the toad in it's mouth, held it, and spit it out.

"RIDICULOUS!" It screamed "How in the world can such a SIMPLE meal taste so... SO!..."

Karo cringed as he awaited the angry beast's reply. Perhaps he shouldn't have sat so close...

"Somebody get me a fork! This meal is glorious, and I intend to enjoy it!"

Karo breathed a sigh of relief.

"C-Coming right up..."

He stood and went back into the cottage, grabbed a fork, and headed back out.

The beast grabbed the fork, and proceeded to stab the gourmet toad forty-nine times in it's left kidney. They knew because it had told them so, and had counted every stab out loud.

After that, it finished it's meal in a surprisingly civilized manner.

It looked at Karo, it's eyes were sorrowful.

"Just a boy, in just a maze. A blood filled, death filled, pain filled maze. It wants for blood, it wants for screams... her screams. A little girl, no wings. The boy fly's on, the girl, who knows? It leaves a dark spot in his soul. A stain of glory no one knows, this pain, it's gained him knowledge. No. It's wisdom lost or never had, and wisdom gained by this young lad."

It clapped loudly. "That would make a LOVELY song! Or a lonely one...?"

The beast changed back into Chihiro, who was sleeping soundly on the ground. The sun was beginning to rise.

So much for sleep.

Karo stood, his eyes shaded. His walk was slumped and formless as he went back into the cottage.

He sat on the edge of Chihiro's bed, and spoke to no one.

 _How did it know...? It just looked me in the eyes, and saw my weakness..._

 _But HOW!? Why would it Tell me that!? Where is she! WHERE IS SHE!?_

 _I know you're alive, and I've felt you, so why haven't you come home!?_

 _Please be alive..._

 _...I know you're out there Haruka._

 _I know it._


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Hidden Truths

I had woken up in late afternoon... What happened last night...?

No, it wasn't last night, it was this morning.

I sat up. "What!? What happened! Where's Karin!? That horrible-"

"Dead." Kahn answered. "Karin is dead."

Kahn was the only one in the cottage right now.

"Where are the others?" I asked.

"Training." Said Kahn. He looked at me.

"Never mind the others now. We need to talk."

I stopped. "O-Okay, what are we talking about?"

He sat next to me on the edge of the bed. His face was grave.

"I have been made aware you have made a deal with this beast inside of you. Is there any truth to this?"

What? I didn't make any...

...Oh, that.

I sighed. "Yes, it's true. I told her that as long as all of you were unharmed, she could help me, and-"

He grabbed my shoulders. "What in the world were you thinking Chihiro!?" He yelled.

"You can't just make deals with demons! They find a loophole in everything they agree on!"

I shook my head. "No, Sen's not a demon. She's a little crazy, but she kept her promise."

"Now we're giving it a name!?" He exclaimed.

"Chihiro, that is a demon. They aren't always monstrous, they can be seductive and persuasive too!"

I can't believe he reduced himself to calling anyone 'it'.

"Kahn, I'm telling you. 'She' isn't that bad. We talk a lot, and she helps me feel better. She kept her promise!"

He looked at me sadly. "She's toying with your mind." He said softly.

"She's only kept her promises so far, and I can promise you she'll find a way to break them-"

"STOP IT!" I yelled. I grabbed the sides of my head in a shallow attempt to suppress the sudden throbbing pain I felt.

"Shut up! You're promises mean nothing to me! Haku promised we'd go back home together, and here I am and he's NOT HERE! Karin. Ha, who cares if she's dead!? She had it coming! SHE-!"

Kahn forced me to look in his eyes. They calmed me.

"Do you have any idea what you just said?" He asked.

Now that I thought about it, I had no clue.

"I thought not. This is why you can't let her take you over like that. This will happen more and more, every time you let her loose."

I nodded, but I couldn't respond. I felt this sick feeling, like I was going to throw up.

"Chihiro? Are you feeling alright?"

I nodded at first, thinking I could handle it. Nope, that was not the case.

I ran over to the sink, and threw up. I had been feeling sick lately, but never this bad. I'm sure it would pass like it did every morning. Well, in this case, late afternoon.

Kahn rubbed my back softly. "I'm not so sure about that. Maybe you should rest today, you look very sick."

I was still bent over the sink, and I could already feel the stomach sickness fading.

I sighed. "No, I'm okay now. This has been happening a lot actually, but it usually passes quickly. Now I'm just really hungry... really hungry."

"How often has this been occurring?" He asked.

I looked at him. "Almost every morning, it's so annoying. Don't look so worried, I'm fine, really."

His expression changed, but it seemed almost forced.

"Very well then, what are you hungry for?"

I felt my stomach grumble.

"Well, lately I've really wanted something spicy. Which is weird, because I don't usually like anything spicy. Oh well, I guess I do now."

Kahn spoke again. "Have you been tired, or perhaps sluggish recently?"

"Yeah...?" I said. "Why do you ask?"

He shook his head. "Oh, it's nothing. As for spicy foods, what did you have in mind?"

I smiled. "Oh, what about spicy... scrambled eggs? It sounds amazing! ...I think."

He smiled. "I'll get right on that... Why don't you sit down until you've eaten something. I just... Well, I don't want you to overdo it."

I felt myself smile. He really worried too much sometimes, but I can see that he cares.

"Alright, I'll humor you." I sat down at the table.

 _I remember that one time I made Haku breakfast, and we sat here together. He was so worked up about his pan, but he did enjoy the food..._

 _The way he was smiling..._

I felt my eyes fill with tears. Again.

Kahn set down my plate of food, and sat down next to me.

"Stupid crying! Why am I always crying now!? It's like... It's like I can't stop myself... I really am a bathhouse fossit!"

"I don't mind..." He said. "You look like Chihiro to me. Besides, you're much smaller than a bathhouse fossit. Well I hope so anyway... You haven't been casting an illusion this whole time, have you?"

I laughed. "No. That's not what I meant either though."

"You should eat." He said. "They are spicy scrambled eggs, just like you asked for."

I looked at my plate. They were spicy scrambled eggs! That just makes my day ten thousand times better!

I scarffed down the first plate, and looked down at it feeling almost guilty. It wasn't a small plate, and I was still hungry.

He grabbed my plate, and filled it up again.

"I take it you're still hungry?" He asked.

I sighed. "Yeah... sorry I'm eating all of this food. You should have some too."

He shook his head. "No, I'm fine... You shouldn't apologize for being hungry, it's not like you can help it in your condition."

What was he talking about?

"M-My... Condition? What are you saying? Is there something I should know?"

He looked down. "Well, yes... I think you're most likely pregnant. It would explain the sickness and cravings, not to mention the unstable mood you spoke of."

I froze. No way... No way.

"Hold on, that can happen here? The spirit world!? What!?"

He nodded. "I was born here, as was my brother. It is possible for these things to happen. Less likely, but possible."

"Yeah but you have to admit, the idea seems pretty outlandish..."

He smiled. "Yes, perhaps where you come from it would be."

I sighed. "What do I do? There's still a battle I'm training for, one I promised I'd fight. Now I have this to worry about? ...It's just too much."

I started to cry. "How? How can I fight my hardest when I could kill, not only me, but another... No, it's mine. It's ours... Haku. It would be like losing him all over again!"

He wrapped me in a hug.

"Then don't..." He whispered. "Stay safe, we can handle it."

"I can't just let you die..." I sobbed.

"I promised I wouldn't let Haku die like he did in my dream. I don't want you to die either, but I can't seem to stop these dreams from..."

Uh oh, I had never told him about the dream.

"You had a dream I died, didn't you?"

For him to just outright say it... it slightly unnerved me.

"Well it's not going to happen, Kahn. I won't lose someone else to this madness!"

He stroked my hair with his hand.

"I hope I don't die, but if it has to happen, it will. Nothing can change that..."

I sobbed into him. "Please no! I can't take this anymore... You can't die! No..."

"I hope not..." He whispered. "But if I do, you can't blame yourself."

"And why not?" I asked bitterly.

He leaned in, and kissed me. "Because I love you." He said softly.

"I know I can never have you, but that changes nothing."

"I love you too..." I said, my heart feeling this deep ache.

"But not in that way."

He pulled me in closer to him. "I know." He said.

I felt almost guilty for enjoying this warmth, but I knew Kahn meant no harm.

Were I in his shoes? I would have done the exact same thing.


	41. Chapter 41

****Hello my awesome and amazing readers! I hope you like the pace, and I know some things in the story aren't completely explained yet. There's a lot that goes into the spiritverse I have thought about, and I think I might make a sequel. You'll understand why when I post the epilogue. Well, keep reading. You're all awesome.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 41! :)****

Chapter 41: The Artist's Voice

Karo had been roaming about for the past couple of days. He had been training Boh, as promised, but had not spoken much since the event with Chihiro's demon. However, he had to hand it to Boh, the kid was talented.

He walked over to him.

"Now remember, when your dual wielding weapons in a battle, one is used to block. This keeps your opponent at bay, allowing you to strike. I would suggest you use the war hammer to block more often, considering you're better with that axe."

Boh sighed. "Yeah... I know. But, I don't have anyone to spar with. No one's as... as big as I am. I'm not really like other kids, but I'm not a grown up either. None of the grown ups want to spar with me, because I'm a kid... and all if the other kids are afraid of me, because I'm a giant. None of them ever want to play with me."

Karo sighed. "Don't listen to those kids, they don't understand what it feels like to be different. As for sparring, well, problem solved I'll be your partner."

Boh looked at him. "You will...?"

"Yeah, of course!" He laughed. "I'm your trainer aren't I?"

Boh went to hug him. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank-"

Then stopped, and patted him on the head.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the hugging rule..."

Boh and Karo began sparring, and Boh was surprised to find that Karo was a challenge for him. When he would try to land a hit on Karo, Karo would dodge him like it was effortless. When he would try to dodge Karo, he would find a weak spot in Boh's defense, and strike.

"How do you keep doing that!?" Boh exclaimed.

"Do you remember what I told you about using your war hammer to block?" Karo asked.

"Yeah, I do. I've been trying." He said. "But you're faster than I am, so I can't block you..."

Karo smiled. "Then that's your homework. Practice building your upper body strength, and getting faster with your weapons. Keep precision in mind, and come back to me in a week."

Boh stood, and gave a sharp nod.

"You got it boss! I'll get right to it!" And with that, he ran off.

Karo smiled. His emotions were a raging rollercoaster right now, but he couldn't help enjoying the training with Boh. He kind of liked the kid, and how he looked at him like some awesome war hero...

...Even though Karo never felt like hero.

He remembered the day he had to use those skills to escape his prison. All of those people he killed...

 _(You're not a hero. You're a murderer.)_

 _I was defending myself, I had no choice!_

 _(No, you should have stopped when the guards were begging for mercy. You're ruthless and horrible.)_

 _What, should I have let them live? They killed my family, and tortured my infant sister! They all deserved to die!_

 _(Who are you to decide whether someone lives or dies? You're no better than the men who you slaughtered.)_

 _No, it's not true!_

 _(Butcher! Murderer!)_

 _NO!_

Karo ran to the edge of the island.

 _I don't deserve to have friends, I deserve to be alone!_

Someone caught his arm. "Karo, what's wrong!? Why are you running like-"

He shrugged the person off, and kept running.

Then the person tackled him.

"I will NOT be ignored!" Shisuta yelled.

"Why are you running like that? Do you want to leave already!? Why? I know you are going through a lot, but-"

"You have no idea what I'm going through!" He snapped.

"So why don't you just get back to your potions, and leave me alone!"

She froze, and her eyes filled with tears.

"So you lost your family? Well at least you HAD a family that loved you! I was a SLAVE! A SLAVE TO THE POTIONS I CREATE!"

She began shaking.

"I grew up for twelve years having no family, no purpose, no identity! Kahn is the one who gave me my name!"

She lifted her sleeves, and pulled down the neck of her shirt.

"THIS! This is all my family gave me! These hideous scars! Without these clothes to cover me, I look like a disgusting MONSTER! But whatever, you may get back to your drawings and snacks. I will leave you alone..."

She stood, and ran away.

 _I shouldn't have said that! Dammit, I feel like such an ass._

"I'm... I'm sorry..." He said to no one.

No, he knew there had to be a better way to tell her.

He got out his painting supplies, and began to paint. His first painting was abstract, but he thought it would symbolize her well. Her beautiful red hair...

 _...Why am I such a jerk? I don't deserve someone as beautiful as she is..._

 _Yeah, she's awkward, obsessed with alchemy, has a dictionary persona that speaks out loud._

 _Oh well, that suits me just fine. I think she's brilliant, and fun, and kind..._

 _...and just beautiful._

 _Why did I say that to her!?_

 _Why does she think she's so hideous? It couldn't be further from the truth._

He painted a second one, it was a realistic portrayal of how he saw her. He decided he would give it to her.

He still didn't think it was enough.

He wrote a formal apology, and left it with the painting.

He only hoped that she would enjoy it, he didn't expect her to forgive him. He wasn't even implying that she should.

...

 _Dear Shisuta,_

 _I know that my bad grammar annoys you, so I'll make this as formal as possible._

 _I am very sorry, and what I said was wrong. I think your potions are wonderful, and I think you're a genius. No one else could have made such a perfect exploding toad._

 _Seriously though, that was awesome._

 _I messed up, and now you probably hate me. It's okay, I don't mind. I still like you._

 _By the way, you're not hideous. I think you have the nicest hair, and really pretty eyes. We all have scars, Shisuta, and they're a part of who we are. The difference is mine can't be seen._

 _I'm sure you've got some like that too._

 _I don't mind that you have scars, I still think you're pretty._

 _Look at that painting, and tell me that girl isn't beautiful!_

 _Do it with a straight face. I know I couldn't._

 _I wouldn't even try to, because it's simply not true._

 _I'm sorry, and if you still hate me, I'll understand._

 _-Karo_

 _..._

Shisuta had walked into the cottage. She was still hurt, and fairly angry with Karo. She looked at the table and saw a wrapped painting, and letter. It was addressed to her.

She rolled her eyes. It was probably from Karo.

Did he really expect this to make anything okay?

She opened the painting first, and saw a beautiful painting of a girl. Was this her...?

She shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous, that couldn't be me."

She opened the letter, and read it.

She smiled at the part about the explosion with the toad, and the fact that it wasn't formal at all. She got down to the last part, and stopped.

 _...Beautiful. He thinks I'm beautiful? Why would he tell me this? No one thinks I'm beautiful, I was always plain. He likes my eyes? But they're so light in color, they match me in plainess._

 _But the girl in the painting..._

 _...She's beautiful, there's no doubt._

 _Is this how he see's me? Does he...? Is he attracted to me!?_

 _HOW COULD I POSSIBLY FACE HIM NOW!?_

 _I haven't the slightest clue how to go about this._

 _I don't know how to 'girlfriend'!_

 _What do I do!?_

 _Should I do anything...?_

Shisuta was practically pulling her hair out over this. She liked him, and he was very attractive to her. But... No.

Kahn and walked inside of the cottage, and saw Shisuta.

Kahn sat next to her. "You look distressed. Are you alright Shisuta?"

She shook her head. "Oh, I don't know!"

She shoved the letter in his face.

"What does one do about something like this!?"

Kahn read the letter.

"I take it you two fought?"

She held the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, we did, but that is water under the bridge now."

She grabbed his shoulders, and shook.

"He thinks I'm pretty Kahn! But I don't how to be a girlfriend! Can't you see this crisis I am in!?"

He had to suppress an eye roll. She was definitely a teenage girl.

"Yes, it's the end of the world..." He said sarcastically.

Shisuta set her head on the table, her hair covered her face.

"I knew it... even you can see I am unfit for this task."

He laughed. "No, I was being sarcastic! Just talk to him, you can do that, can't you?"

She looked up. "I guess I could..."

He smiled. "See? not much of a crisis is it?"

She sighed. "I suppose not."

She smiled softly as she reread his letter and looked at the painting. She would talk to him about it tomorrow, and...

And she was nervous. There was no way she could bring that up!

None at all.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42: A Duel of Honor Cheated

Boh was training with No-Face watching. His encouragement was what kept Boh going sometimes. He still missed Zeniba very much, and often found that it was hard to keep training some days.

He gave another bout of swings at his hand made target, which consisted of a couple of boulders he had found. He made sure to strike them at the same spot.

"How fast was that?" He asked.

"Ah." No-Face replied.

"That fast?" Said Boh excitedly. "That's faster than the last one! Hooray!"

A woman laughed softly.

"Wow, you're a big kid. Those are some cool moves, and you're so adorable!"

Boh blushed softly. "Well, I think it needs some practice still..."

"Hey sis? Can I please play with him? Please? I wanna hold his hammer! We'll pick flowers, and smash bugs with his hammer! And-!"

The woman gave a warm laugh.

"Alright, alright! Just make sure you keep her safe, okay kid?"

Boh nodded. "You can count on me, miss uh... what's you're name?"

The woman smiled. "I'm Nina, pleased to meet you. Now, you wouldn't know where to find a girl named Chihiro around here, would you?"

...

I was practicing my magic today, specifically on wards. Zeniba and I had gone into a little detail on them, but I needed to know more in order to succeed this time around. If I let my defense crumble like I did the last time, someone else was at stake.

Someone to precious not to defend.

I felt my power form into the shape it needed to. I held it there.

"Hey, I had no idea you were a magic user! Way to go!"

I turned around, I knew that voice.

I saw Nina standing in front of me, and I could hardly believe my eyes.

"N-Nina!? Wow, you're-"

"Yep, alive and in the flesh! Thanks to you, of course."

She smiled sadly. "I've heard that you've been running into trouble lately."

I looked down. "Yeah... it's been a mess."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that." She said. "I came here to thank you for saving our lives. Haruka would thank you herself, but she's playing with this giant kid."

I smiled. "You must mean Boh. Yeah, I could see that."

She nodded. "Yeah... Hey, have you seen all of the Lumina camped out on this island? It's insane! There's so many!"

I sighed with annoyance.

"Yeah, they're like cockroaches. You can't get rid of them."

She laughed. "I know, the hive can be so prudish and stuck up!"

Wait... That's right, what about Karo. He knows Nina.

"Hey, I need to know. Do you remember a boy named Karo? He said he knew you."

Nina froze.

"Karo...? You mean he's alive? I thought he'd been killed with his other family members..."

I shook my head. "No, he's around here somewhere. He's just fine."

...

Karo was walking aimlessly around the island. He was still confused about Shisuta. She said that there was no bad blood between them, and that they were still friends. She had also been avoiding him like the plague.

He gave a depressed sigh. At least she even liked him enough to say so.

He felt someone push him over, and step on his back.

"Hey Lumi-Not! How's our favorite loser doing?"

Karo recognized his voice. He was the older Lumina guy that had harassed him before.

"Oh, it's you Maliki. Thank god, I thought it might actually be someone tough!"

He flipped Maliki off of him, and stood.

"Now what do you want? I wasn't bothering anyone."

He smirked. "No, but I saw how bad you biffed it with your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend!" He yelled. "And for your information, she-"

"Wait, so you're saying she's single?" Said Maliki, cutting him off.

"Damn! She's such a babe! Do you mind I have a go at her?"

Karo could feel his anger rising.

"You say it as if she's some object you can claim. She'd never go for someone like you, not a chance."

He grinned. "Maybe not at first, but she'd learn to like it..."

Karo was shaking with anger.

"Go away Maliki. I don't want to talk to you."

His face got close to Karo's, a smug smile on his lips.

"Fine then, I'll just find the juicy little ginger myself... Hey Karo, do you think I could get her to scream?"

Karo tackled him to the ground, repeatedly punching him in the face.

"If I ever catch you doing that to her, I'll kill you! If I hear about it, I'll still kill you!"

A greatsword formed in Maliki's hand. Karo caught it in time to block the blow with his war hammer.

They stood in front of each other, weapons readied.

Karo scoffed. "Oh please! Put away that sword you can hardly use."

Maliki glared at him, blood running out of both his nostrils.

"So, you think you're the only one here who knows how to fight? Well bring it on, shrimp!"

Karo stood where he was.

"Aw, is the little Lumi-Not scared?"

He laughed. "No, I'm just waiting to see if you're smart enough to hit a target that's standing still. What? Afraid to get your ass handed to you by a shrimp?"

He ran toward Karo, rage in his eyes.

"That's it, you're dead Karo!"

Karo launched himself over Maliki, landing behind him.

Maliki spun around and swung at Karo, and he slid back.

Karo laughed. "You might as well have held up a glowing sign saying, 'Next move here'."

Maliki went to thrust his sword into Karo, he knocked his sword out of his hand, and swung at Maliki's arm. It broke.

"Are we done?" Karo asked.

Maliki stood, and threw something in Karo's eyes.

Karo held his eyes, as they filled with intense pain.

He felt the cold blade of Maliki's greatsword sink into his torso.

He fell to the ground, coughing up blood as he struggled to breath.

Maliki continued to mess with his stab wound, kicking it, and poking it with his sword.

Karo whimpered as he stifled his screams.

Maliki laughed. "What's the matter Karo? Does it hurt?"

"Karo! Stay away from him!" Someone yelled.

It was Shisuta's voice.

"You... What have you done to him!?"

There was a pause.

"Well if it isn't the ginger. We were just rough housing, nothing more."

"You think this is FUNNY!?" She yelled furiously.

Her tone darkened. "Well then I'm sure you'll find this hilarious..."

He heard Maliki let out a blood curdling scream.

Shisuta laughed darkly. "It's all fun and games, until you mess with chemical warfare..."

"Make it STOP!" He screamed.

She began to cackle maniacally.

"Oh dear, I thought you enjoyed pain. I thought you said it was funny... right?"

Karo could physically hear her stab the needle into him.

"Well is it funny NOW!?"

Her voice sounded different, like her own mixed with some creatures growl.

"Well, let's joke over dinner, shall we?"

Karo heard his screams fill the air, feeling his own mind fall into oblivion.

...

Nina and I were looking for Karo, and came running when we heard the screams.

Karo was on the ground, bleeding. His body seemed to shimmer.

"Uh oh, that's not good!" Said Nina.

I looked over at...

...Shisuta?

She was finishing off a young Lumina man. She crunched his head, which was once a mutilated blue. She sat and began to laugh softly.

"Funny... He thought it was funny... Karo."

Her form changed back to normal, and I ran to them both.

She looked at Karo, and he was in bad shape.

"KARO!" She screamed.

She ran over to him, and searched her pack.

"What!? No! I have no time to make another batch!"

I searched mine, I had to have something...

...I did.

It was the serum I had lost. The one that could have saved Haku.

I felt my heart shatter into pieces at that moment, and handed her the serum.

"Take it." I said. "I just found it. It will save Karo."

She looked at me in awe for a moment, then turned back to Karo and administered the serum.

His wounds were completely healed, and he took in a large breath.

Shisuta hugged me. "Thank you..." She said softly.

Karo sat up, and held his eyes.

"I... I Can't see..."

Shisuta's eyes went wide. "What!? Hold on, let me look at your-"

"I CAN'T SEE!" He screamed.

Shisuta laid him back down.

"I think he's in shock." Said Nina.

"He is." Said Shisuta.

She opened his eyelids, and jumped.

"Glass!? There is glass in his eyes!"

"WHAT!?" Said Nina and I in sync.

We all looked at them. Once dark blue eyes, now held a red tinge. The glass shards looked half healed in by the serum.

"Did that Lumina do this to him?" Nina asked.

Shisuta froze.

"I...I killed him. I did that didn't I?"

I nodded. "Yeah, but after looking at Karo? None of us blame you. You scared me for a second though, your form had completely changed."

She breathed in and out slowly, but I could see something was wrong.

"Nevermind that, what do we do about Karo's eyes?"

"I don't know..." I asked. "We're running low on healers right now, and you're our best medic."

Karo began to whimper softly.

"It hurts... my eyes..."

Shisuta stroked his hand. "It's going to be alright... here, let me numb the pain."

She pulled out a needle and syringe.

"This is going to hurt, but it will feel better. I promise."

I cringed as the needle went into his eye. Granted she didn't touch any vital spots for seeing, and she held him still... it was still a horrible sight.

He was shaking when it was over.

"N-Needles... g-get it away... get the needles away..."

"I had no idea he was Trypanophobic." Said Shisuta.

"Trypanophobic?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yes, Trypanophobia is an intense fear of injections, or needles."

She looked down at him. "I'm sorry Karo, how do your eyes feel now?"

He nodded slowly. "Fine..." He whispered.

He fell asleep after that.

Shisuta looked at us. "I do have some medical training, and due to more advanced Alchemical training, I know where every nerve and blood vessel is. If you are squeamish or have any form of hemophobia, leave. I cannot afford to be distracted."

Nina stood. "I'm going to go find Haruka, and make sure she doesn't see this."

Shisuta nodded. "Very well."

I stayed, and tried to keep quiet. I did avert my eyes, as she started working on his.

I knew now that Haruka was actually Karo's sister. I wonder how she was doing?

...

Boh and Haruka were having a grass fight, running and giggling amongst themselves.

Haruka could only manage small clumps of grass and mud, while Boh would dump giant handfuls of grass over her head.

Haruka had just turned six not long ago, and she, much like Boh, was a bucket full of energy.

"Bah! You got grass in my hair!" She laughed.

She ran around him in circles, then jumped on his back. Her jump imbalanced him, and they both went down, tumbling across the grass.

Boh started laughing. "Ha! You're great Haruka! We should totally... Haruka?"

Haruka was sitting up, holding her head painfully.

Boh ran over to her. "Haruka! Are you okay!? I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"No, it's not you..." She said. "Agh! Why does my head hurt so bad!?"

She heard a voice.

"Hello!? What the? What's happening!?"

"What's wrong? What is it?" Boh asked frantically. He could not hear what she heard.

It whispered again.

 _Haruka... Where are you...?_

"I'm right here..." She replied. "What do you want!"

 _I know you're out there... Haruka..._

"Stop it!" She screamed. "I don't know who you are!"

Nina ran up to them. "What's going on, is she okay!?"

"I don't know..." Bob said tearfully. "I don't think I hurt her... but..."

He began to sob softly.

"Hey, it's okay Boh. You didn't hurt her..."

She turned to Haruka.

"Haruka, are you okay? I want you to tell me what's happening..."

 _...It hurts... It hurts!_

"Are you in trouble? Who are you?" She asked.

Nina shook her shoulder. "Is who in trouble? Haruka!?-"

Nina stopped. She had figured it out.

Haruka had rebuilt her connection with her brother, because they were physically close to each other.

"Just calm down..." Said Nina soothingly.

Haruka stood. "I have to save him!"

She ran off in the direction of the others with speed Nina had never seen.

"Haruka wait!" She yelled.

She ran after her, hoping she could catch her in time.

...

Shisuta had finished removing the glass shards from his eyes, and started bandaging them.

She breathed a sigh of relief. "That takes care of the glass." She said.

Her face turned grave. "I don't know if his sight will ever recover... I should have acted sooner."

"Don't blame yourself." I said. "You saved his life, and you gave his eyes a chance. That's something."

She looked down. "Yes, but-"

"Haruka wait!" Nina screamed.

I turned around and saw Haruka running swiftly toward us, Nina was chasing her.

Haruka ran up to Karo, and started undoing his bandages.

"Hey!" Shisuta yelled. "What are you-!?"

Her hands began to glow, and Karo seemed to relax more.

"Lidocaine... to numb his eyes." She said.

"H-How do you know that?" Shisuta gaped.

She shrugged. "Cause I used it once on Nina. She needed her eyes healed too."

His breathing became steady, and his eyes fluttered.

"I like making potions too, I learned it by myself. I read a cool book."

She smiled. "I remember Nina looked just like you! Her eyes were all big, and her mouth was open."

She laughed. "I put my hand in her mouth, and she coughed. It was funny!"

The light stopped, and Karo started to stir.

His eyes opened, and they were a dark blue again.

"I... What happened...?"

Shisuta wrapped him in a hug, and his face turned red.

"Ah! Uh, Shisuta! Wh-Wh... What's going on...?"

She hugged him tighter, tears spilling from her eyes.

"You idiot! Why would you let yourself be persuaded into such a fight!? Is your brain, that of an insect? You could have been killed, and then what would I do!?"

He hugged her back. "Hey, don't worry. I'm okay now... actually I feel better than ever."

"You're welcome." Said Haruka flatly.

He looked at her, and his heart stopped. Was it her? They had the same eyes...

"Who are you anyway?" She asked. "And why we're you talking inside of my head...? That's kind of creepy you know."

 _Haruka... it's her..._

She scoffed. "See? You did it again! Can't you stop that?"

 _Why does he keep talking to me? I'm here already, geeze!_

 _(Because you're my sister, I thought you were dead.)_

She stared at him. "I-I don't have a brother... who are you?"

Karo sighed. "I'm telling you the truth, that's why you can hear my thoughts."

She backed away from him.

"No... I have a sister named Nina, and that's all!"

He went toward her. "Haruka, please..."

"N-No! You go away! Go away!"

She ran off, Nina chasing after her again.

Karo sat in silence, a deep pain that reached down into the depths of his soul began to surface. He sat there frozen, letting the silent turmoil build in his heart.


	43. Chapter 43

****Hello all! Has anyone ever heard of a caffeine addiction? Well it sucks. The good thing for readers is, there will be many more updates! Yay caffeinated insomnia!**

 **(Sighs...) -_-**

 **Oh well. Enjoy Chapter 43! :)****

Chapter 43: A Small Purgatory

Kahn was meditating near the large tree in the field. He often did this when stressful situations seemed to be arising. He never imagined that Shisuta would be such a handful for a sister, not that he didn't care for, and cherish her. In fact, every day he found more reasons to become close to her.

 _Yes, and more reasons to believe I will gain a grey hair or two..._

He smiled, musing this thought.

Then he realized that it had distracted him from his meditation.

He tried to slip back into a meditative state, when he heard a loud boom on the other side of the field.

He stood. It was Shisuta wasn't it!? He knew because that was an explosion only she could produce!

He ran over to Shisuta, Haruka was with her.

"What happened!? Is everyone al-!"

"And THAT is why you shouldn't mix glow snake and a red toad together in those proportions... in that order of course."

Haruka nodded. "Okay I get it."

Kahn nearly melted where he stood. Sometimes he wondered if she enjoyed blowing things up, more than she did teaching Alchemy.

"Oh, hello Kahn!" She said cheerfully.

"I was just demonstrating some basic rules of saftey when performing Alchemy. Nothing too drastic I assure you."

He looked down at the crater sized hole on the ground. He was not assured.

Kahn gave an irritated sigh.

"You need to be more careful Shisuta, I thought something had happened to you."

She laughed. "Do not worry! It was more damaging to the dirt than us!"

Haruka laughed. "Yeah, look at the size of that hole!"

Shisuta lifted her head with pride.

"Yes, it is colossal, is it not?"

Kahn grabbed the bridge of his nose, and frowned. Not only was Shisuta endangering herself, there was someone's child here. A child, whom she was teaching how to make Alchemical explosives...

There were definitely grey hairs in his future...

...If he even had a future where this was possible.

The dream Chihiro had. He wondered if it had any prophetic meanings in it, and if it meant anything at all. He knew that if there was any truth to it, it would most likely mean his end.

"Kahn? Is something wrong? You look disturbed."

He looked at Shisuta, who was now standing and staring at him.

He looked down. "It's nothing..."

"Hey! Haruka, are you and Shisuta doing experiments again!? I told you to be careful."

He looked behind him to see who was talking, and stopped.

That woman... He knew her.

She looked at him. "Oh, hi Kuhn. Do you know where Linn is? These kids need a good lecturing, and-"

She stopped mid sentence, and walked over to him.

"Wait, you're not Kuhn... Oh! You must be the brother he mentioned!"

She grabbed his hand and shook it.

"Hi, I'm-"

"Nina." He finished. "Yes, we've met."

She looked at him curiously.

"How do you know me?" She asked.

"We met when I was young, so I'm not surprised that you don't recognize me."

He pulled out a crumpled letter from his pack.

"You were the one who helped me escape the maze. Here, you might recognize this."

She grabbed the letter and unfolded it.

Her eyes went wide for a moment, then faded back into confusion.

"I recognize this... a boy. Yes, a boy! You saved my life! And I..."

She trailed off, her expression blank.

She shook her head, and handed back the letter.

"Nope, doesn't ring a bell."

Kahn was extremely confused, but decided to drop it.

"Well, in any case, it's nice to see you're well."

She laughed. "Oh wow, you're so modest! So you're the infamous Kahn that... Kuhn... God. I'm going to have a terrible time telling you two apart! Oh well, I like you Kuhn! You're so polite!"

He sighed. "It's Kahn. I have blue eyes. My brother has green, he's Kuhn."

She hung her head. "What about the red eyed one... I didn't like him much..."

Kahn stopped. He had no idea where her mind was at all. He looked at her, and saw that something about her seemed very fragmented.

Haruka stood, and walked up to Nina.

She looked at me. "Sorry, she does this sometimes."

Nina spoke. "Haruka, I specifically told you not to cause an explosion. Why did you disobey me?"

She looked up at Nina. "Sorry Luna, I promise not to blow things up anymore."

She put a hand on Haruka's head, and ruffled her hair. "Good girl, I'll hold you to it."

"You should go back to sleep Luna, the sun's still out."

Nina nodded slowly, sitting down on the ground. She opened her eyes, and looked flustered.

"Ugh, what happened?" She asked.

"You just got dizzy again." Haruka said.

She stood, and stumbled slightly. "So I did..."

She perked up. "Well, I'm going to back to that cottage to drink some water. See you!"

And with that, she was off again.

"What in the world..." Said Shisuta, lost and confused by this situation.

Haruka sighed. "Okay, there's some stuff you need to know about Nina. Number one, is don't tell her when she does this."

"Why not...?" Kahn asked curiously.

"Because it just makes things worse." She said.

"When I tried to tell her what she said, she... Well it's hard to explain..."

"Just explain it to your best ability." Shisuta prodded.

Haruka nodded. "Okay... Well, I told her what she was saying, and... and her head made a different person to hide her. It used to be just Nina and Luna, Nina is her real person, Luna is... I guess special?"

"Special? How so?" Kahn pried.

"She acts different from Nina, she hates Nina. She likes me, and she protects me sometimes, like that time we were escaping the warehouse... but wait, oh yeah! That's what I was saying. So anyways, Nina is Nina, Luna hates Nina, and fights with a spear. Nina fights with a katana. Like I was saying, the next one came out when I tried to tell her."

Haruka was explaining fragmented personalities well for a child. She was still very hard to follow, but Kahn and Shisuta tried their best.

"So who was this new persona?" Shisuta asked.

"Her name's violet." Said Haruka. "She can be a lot like Nina, but she's not. She gets really excited, but she has a bad temper. She never gets mad at me, but she really hates Luna, and most other people... yeah. But she liked you Kahn! She was only there for a tiny bit though, but she remembers you."

Kahn thought back to that moment when Nina had remembered him, then quickly forgot again.

"Only Luna gets mad at me." Haruka continued. "And she gets mad when I don't listen to her, so we can't blow stuff up any more... aw darn... Oh well. So anyways, Luna gets sad a lot. She hates Nina, because she always tries to be happy. Oh, and the more you try to tell Nina, the more she forgets. Sometimes she's forgotten a whole day! So don't try to bring it up. I just tell her she got got dizzy, and that seems to work good!"

Shisuta knew that she had issues with a persona, but to this extent?

How much Nina must have suffered to become this fragmented... it was a horrible thought. Kahn had mentioned a maze, and so had Karo. It was this same person who had helped them.

Shisuta figured, if she could get enough information from the two of them, she could put together the pieces. There was no situation that the scientific method couldn't handle. With her skills in deductive reasoning, this would be solved.

There was no way she couldn't succeed...

...The question was, should she?


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Connections

There were so many people coming in to the group, and the cattage was becoming quite crowded. Kahn, Shisuta, Karo, No-Face, and Chihiro all shared the cottage. The only reason No-Face could fit, is because he took up practically no room. The guy could disappear!

Linn rolled her eyes.

 _The lucky bastard can go "Poof" whenever it suits him. Now Kuhn and I are stuck sleeping outside in a tent!_

 _...No-Face, you Lucky bastard. You can say, "Screw the giant child sleeping alone in a cold tent, I want to be warm!"_

 _Well you suck!_

"Linn, you look like you want to break something..." Kuhn commented.

"Are you still mad about the tent?"

Linn sighed. "Yeah... I am. I just really don't do outside, or camping."

He laughed. "Oh come on, who wouldn't like camping? What, with all the bugs, and nature trying to get inside of your tent. Oh, and don't forget about the owls. They hunt at night, and sometimes-"

"That doesn't help..." Linn grumbled.

He walked up to her, and gave her a soft peck.

He smiled softly. "Cheer up, it won't be that bad."

She smiled. "Okay... I'll try."

She folded her arms in protest.

"But if any of the wild life eats me in my sleep? I'll haunt the hell out of you Kuhn!"

He laughed. "Alright, fair enough!"

She grinned. "I'll stop by every night, and I'll say: 'Kuuuuhhhhhnnnnn... I was eaaateen by a hypogryph! You told me, _Cheer up, it won't be that bad._ But still, I was devoured... What the Heelllllllllll Kuuuuhhhhhnnnnn?"

He laughed harder. "Okay! Okay! I get the point!"

She laughed. "I would make a badass ghost." She mused.

Her face fell. "Then again... I wonder if that's how it works at all... I just don't know anymore. I was so sure that I knew where I was, and then..."

Kuhn put his hand to her face, stroking it gently with his thumb.

"Linn... I'm here if you ever need to talk. I could listen to you talk about anything..."

She leaned her head on his chest.

"I know." She said.

He wrapped her into a warm hug.

"I love you..." He whispered.

She felt her heart warm.

She kissed him softly. "I love you too."

He pulled her into another kiss, this time, it was more heated.

He kissed her neck, softly biting it. His hands slid up her shirt, and her bra unhooked.

She moaned softly as his hands slid lower.

"I was right..." She breathed. "You are a pervert."

He carried her bridal style into the tent.

He held her against the wall of the tent. He nibbled at her ear.

"You have no idea..." He whispered softly, nibbling more.

"You're going to feel what goes on in my head... every time I look at you..."

He kissed her neck, and moved down to her shoulder.

He removed her bra by the strap with his teeth.

He trailed kisses down her chest, biting softly as he got lower

Linn trembled softly with pleasure. She moaned blissfully with each soft bite.

He moved back up, his hands still low as he continued to trail her skin with his lips.

"You like this...?" He whispered.

She nodded, her body still trembling.

She felt her self moan louder as their bodies merged, feeling the bliss they shared.

She was relaxed now, he was still kissing her softly on the lips.

He sighed, his eyes were warm and happy. "I'm so inlove with you, I can't even stand it."

She breathed in and out softly, a warm smile crossed her lips.

"Me too..." She whispered.

They're bodies were still intertwined with each other. They embraced the warmth between them as the night lulled them into sleep.

...

Karo woke up early this morning. He sat up from his sleeping bag, and sighed sadly.

Haruka had to sleep outside, and it was cold last night. He knew she was was cold, because her thoughts told him enough. She was stubborn, however, and dealt with the cold just to avoid him...

He was trying to cope with it, but he was still going to knit her a blanket. He couldn't have her freezing to death!

 _Stay out of my head... I can hear you. I don't want your blanket you're making me, I have my own!_

 _(Hey, I know you don't like me. I'm sorry, but I don't know what I did to you. Tell me, please. I want to be a good brother...)_

 _I don't want you to be my brother! Just leave me alone!_

 _(I'm sorry... I wish it were that simple. I'm sorry...)_

 _Well figure it out! Can't take the constant noisyness! ...besides, you weren't there when I really needed a..._

 _Oh just SHUT IT BRAIN!_

 _Leave me alone Karo!_

 _LalalalalalaLalalalalalala..._

That's all Karo could here until she fell asleep again...

Did she really hate him that much?

He looked down at the blanket he'd been working on... He couldn't just leave it like that. In fact, just the thought of an unfinished project drove him insane.

But she didn't want it...

But he'd finish it anyway!

...But she really didn't want it.

He picked up the blanket, and continued to work on it.

The design of it told their story, hers and his own. It was partially a hive of faceless Lumina, intertwining with a maze. On one side of the maze, there was Nina and Haruka, and the two others she spoke of, Luna and Violet. I gave them looks which I thought suited their personalities... they all stood around Haruka, defending her with their weapons. Apparently Violets weapon was a scythe. On the other side, was me. I was holding a rope that went through the maze, and went all the way to Haruka's side.

He felt his eyes fill with tears as he finished the blanket.

He folded it up, and set it on his sleeping bag.

 _She'll never want it..._

 _She'll never need me..._

 _What good am I, HUH!?_

 _WHAT GOOD AM I, I'M NOTHING!_

 _...A murderer..._

 _No, I had to protect her._

 _Butcher!_

 _No..._

 _SLAUGHTERING MURDERER!_

 _Why...? Why did I have to kill them?_

 _HORRIBLE BUTCHERING SWINE!_

 _I know, I could never be a good brother. Even if I tried!_

 _She wants me out of her head? Then who am I not to grant her wish!?_

 _If I'm dead, she can't hear me..._

 _...Then she won't have to deal with my mind..._

 _The mind of A NO GOOD MURDERER!_

He stood, and got some rope from near the cottage. No one was awake yet, and no one could stop him.

No one would even miss him, he was sure of it...

...

Linn was awake. She had actually been awake for quite some time... She was just enjoying the warmth of Kuhn's body and hers...

She heard a noise, like someone muttering to themselves. She listened...

"No good... just no good... No one will care... when I'm gone, no one will care..."

That sounded like Karo...

Gone!? What did he mean-!? Gone, as in dead!?

Linn sat up, waking Kuhn. She quickly got dressed.

"Hey... What's going on...?" He asked tiredly.

She didn't answer him, but ran out of the tent.

She saw Karo sitting on a branch on the tree. He was preparing to jump from it, attempting to slip the noose around his neck.

"Karo STOP!" She yelled.

He stopped long enough for Linn to launch herself from the ground, and tackle Karo off of the branch.

"Let go!" He yelled.

"No! Not until you calm down!" She yelled.

He burst into tears, sobbing heavily.

Kuhn ran over to them. "Is he okay!?" He asked.

Linn sighed, and looked at Karo.

"What's wrong? Just say something... I care if you're gone, everyone does. We'd all be devastated if you were just gone..."

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." He said in between sobs.

Linn held him tightly. "Shhh... it's okay... Don't be sorry. What's wrong...? Can you tell me that?"

He tried to take in slow breaths.

"M-My sister... She..." He started losing his composure again.

"She hates me! She doesn't want me as a brother! ...She just wanted... wanted me out of her head... I just wanted to make her happy Linn!"

Linn felt her lower lip trembling. Was that what her brother thought too?

"That won't solve anything..." She said softly, tears forming in her eyes.

He looked up at her.

"Let me tell you something, I was a lot like Haruka once..."

His eyes widened.

"I had a brother a lot like you... and all he wanted was to grant my wish, in a letter I had written him when I was only eight. I had no idea he was my brother, and do you know how I found out?"

"H-How...?" He asked softly.

Tears began spilling from her eyes.

"I found the rope that he'd hung himself with, and the letters he had kept. One's that I had written him..."

She was trembling. "I hated him for so long... but when he died like that, I could never forgive myself. I still can't forgive myself..."

He stared at her in awe.

"How do you think Haruka would feel if she found you like that? She's so young... She wouldn't understand, she'd just cry. She'd beat herself up every day for being so mean to you, and never getting the chance to make it right... just like me, and my brother Junichi."

He trembled softly. "Linn, I-"

"Karo! KARO! Please don't! I didn't mean I wanted that!"

Haruka ran up to him. She gave him a hug, and began to cry.

"It's such a pretty blanket! I'll keep it, I swear! ...Karo... I'm sorry! I'm just really really scared, because I didn't know... I never knew my mom and dad, and I love Nina... She has to be my real sister. Really! Please don't say that you're a killer! You're a hero! I promise! Please don't be mad at me..."

He was stunned.

She didn't hate him, it was true.

He wrapped his arms around her, and began crying silently.

"It's okay... I'm not mad. I'm not... You don't have to call me your brother yet, it's okay. But, you'll always be my sister... I'll be a better brother from now on, I promise!"

Linn was really happy to see how this worked out, she really was.

She was also hurting, because it could have been hers too.

She stood, and left them to their moment. She went back into the tent.

Kuhn followed her in.

Linn was curled up, crying into herself. He wrapped her into a comforting hug.

She cried loudly.

"I'm sorry!... I, I just... I miss him so much Kuhn!"

He held her and stroked her hair.

"I know... shhh... I know... I'm here... I love you."

She let his comfort warm her, and heal some of her pain.


	45. Chapter 45

****Hey readers, I have another link, and in my opinion, it describes Karo's inner emotions from the last chapter perfectly.**

 **It's called 'Down in a Hole' by Alice in Chains. Here's the link if you're interested:**

youtube **-**. **-** com/#/watch?v=J5Z8qaFfagU

 **Like the last time, just erase the dashes you see in bold now. It should take you to the video.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 45! :)****

Chapter 45: The Art of Karo-ism

It was the day after the incident with Karo, Haruka, and Linn.

Karo was sitting at the table with Haruka, eating something he had made for breakfast. He was sick of the classic breakfast style.

Just sick of it!

He instead made a new breakfast sandwich!

It was an English Muffin, stuffed with fresh tomatoes, basil, a pinch of rosemary, some mozzarella chese, and bacon bits. The English Muffins were pan fried in a half a tablespoon of butter, and a small amount of sesame oil. Toasted to perfection, and finished with a small drizzle of sesame oil in the sandwich.

They both had two each.

"This is sooooooo AWESOME!" Haruka exclaimed.

"Don't tell Nina I told you, but your cooking is waaaay better than hers!"

He blushed softly. "Well, um... my cooking is better than a lot of people's cooking. I just really enjoy it, that's all..."

She smiled. "Thank you for the blanket too, it was really warm. You're good at tons of stuff Karo, what else can you do?"

He was turning more red.

"Well... come on, it's really not that cool!... um... do you really want to know?"

"Yeah! Come on Karo!" She beamed.

"Come on, tell me!"

He smiled, a hint of pride on his expression.

"Well, if you must know... I cook, knit and sew, I'm a painter, I can write sheet music, lyrics, and poetry. I also fight with a war hammer... Not that it's a big deal or anything."

Yeah right. Karo said one thing, but he implied another.

He implied, 'It's a big deal. It's definitely a big deal.'

Shisuta rolled her eyes. "You are doing it again Karo."

He jumped, and looked at Shisuta. How long had she been standing there!?

"Uh!... Doing what!? I wasn't doing anything! Uhm... nothing at all!" He stuttered.

Shisuta gave him a look. "You know what it is I'm talking about."

Haruka laughed. "He's fine Shisu! He just likes to show off sometimes!"

You could almost see the clouds of shame, floating over Karo's head.

She knew the whole time!?

 _Yep, but I still think you're pretty cool._

He smiled, because he could feel her smiling.

Shisuta laughed. It was light, and happy. Karo felt himself melting with happiness.

"Um... You have a really nice laugh, Shisuta... really, you do."

She turned almost as red as her hair.

He looked over at Haruka, who had began signing.

"Karo and Shisu, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-...!"

Karo covered her mouth. "Ahh!... Don't listen to her, she's just-!"

Shisuta wasn't even in the room any more.

Karo repeatedly banged his head on the table.

"Haruka... Why would you do that...!?"

She giggled noisily. "You liiiiike her!"

He sighed, leaving his head on the table.

"Yeah, that's kind of a no brainer... but still...?"

He looked at her, the clouds of shame rolling back over him.

"How am I supposed to face her Haruka...? She probably thinks I'm a weirdo now..."

He couldn't believe he was asking his six year old sister for advice.

"I could ask her, really, I could." Said Haruka with an innocent smile.

 _(And have her think I'm a wimp, for sending my younger sister to ask her? Man...)_

 _Well, you can't help who you are!_

He could feel the amusement just dripping off of her.

"Haha... Well aren't you just a little comedian?"

She smiled. "Well, I guess it's something I'm awesome at! See you!"

And with that, she ran after Shisuta.

To be bested like that by his six year old sister... damn...

...

Haruka giggled as she hummed the words in her head.

 _Karo and Shisu, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love! Then..._

 _(I can hear you Haruka! Please don't ask her, I'm begging you!)_

 _Haha! You can't stop me Karo! Mwahahahahahahaa! Tee hee._

 _(Haruka! I'm serious! HARUKA!)_

 _LalalalalaLalalalalaLalalalala!_

She continued to laugh as she walked over to Shisuta.

"Hey Shisu! So I have a question?"

 _(Haruka... Please don't!)_

"Yes? What is it?" She asked.

 _(No! I know what's coming! She's gonna think I'm such a loser!...)_

"I was just wondering if we could blow more stuff up today? I'll make sure Nina doesn't find out!"

 _(Thank God... Wait, what!? Haruka... No explosions. No.)_

 _But...? I'm going to blow things up now! Don't kill my fun!_

 _(I said no. That's dangerous, and I'll tell Shisuta I said no.)_

 _Oh, sorry... I didn't know you were my mom too!_

 _(That's not funny! I'm dead serious! Stop.)_

 _Lalalaa-!_

 _(Haruka!? No, none of that.)_

 _LalalalalaLalalalala-!_

 _(HARUKA!? HARUKA! I said-!)_

 _LalalalalaLalalalalaLalalalala!_

"So what did Karo say?" Asked Shisuta.

Haruka shrugged. "He said it was fine, but be careful."

Shisuta nodded. "Fair enough! Let us begin exploring the wonders of Explosive sage fungus in the name of Alchemical Science!"

They ran off to go collect some, Haruka following Shisuta's every footstep.

 _..._

Karo was practically pulling his hair out. He didn't know what to do.

He didn't quite trust Nina, because of her personality named Luna.

He couldn't tell Kahn, or Shisuta would get in trouble.

But the fact was, Haruka was way to young to be playing with explosives!

He had to tell Shisuta himself.

He ran into the field, bringing two vials of the healing serum, just in case. He had a feeling things might go wrong this time around.

He searched most of the island, but couldn't find them.

"Shisuta! HARUKA!"

A loud boom filled the air, filling Karo with an indescribable dread.

He ran toward the sound, hoping to find everyone in one piece. He ran to the two girls, who were laughing next to a giant crater in the ground.

He walked up to Haruka. "So, what was that about having my permission? Which you didn't."

Shisuta gave her a sharp look.

That is interesting, because I had heard you DID have permission. I see I should have asked him myself, we have no doubt, scared him half to death."

Haruka gave a nervous smile. "Hehe... Maybe a little."

Shisuta gave an annoyed sigh.

"Well, I think it is about time I showed you what Alchemy is really about. Considering the promise you had shown, I should have taken this course of action sooner."

Haruka gave a groan of dismay.

"Now now..." Shisuta scolded. "You cannot lie to me, however, this is no punishment!"

Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she spoke her next words.

She pointed an inspirationally charged finger at Haruka.

"You, my alumni! One who seeks the ultimate and most sacred knowledge of this ultimate power! This beautiful masterpiece! The most holy, OF ALL SACRED ANOMALIES! Through the power of Alchemy! AND THE BLESSINGS OF SCIENCE!"

Shisuta dragged Haruka off, and Karo was starting to ponder a connection between Alchemists and cult worship. He smiled as he pulled out a small canvas.

 _I think I have an idea for a painting, one that I can look at every night, and laugh myself to sleep._


	46. Chapter 46

****Hello to all of my amazing readers! Let me just say that the story has changed a lot from the original idea, but I like the direction I'm taking it now. I hope you agree. I've had a really good experience posting my fan fiction on this site, and I hope to do more in the future.**

 **But enough of the rambling!**

 **Enjoy Chapter 46! :)****

Chapter 46: The Price of Knowledge

I was getting dressed in the cottage. We had set up a curtain, so we could have at least a little privacy. Everyone was eating breakfast. Everyone but me.

I was still behind the curtain, mourning the loss of a wearable kimono.

I was finally too large to fit into it, barely, but still... Barely is enough to leave you with nothing to wear!

 _Maybe the curtains would fit._

"Hey Chihiro, are you alright back there?" Asked Kuhn. "Breakfast is ready you know."

"Yeah, and it's awesome!" Karo exclaimed. "I made even better sandwiches this time."

"I... I have a small problem." I said nervously.

"What's up?" Asked Linn. "Can't find your kimono?

"No... It just... It doesn't fit." I said with defeat.

"Did it shrink?" Karo asked. "Because if it did, I could take a look at it."

 _No... Even if he made it a larger size, I would continue to grow. I might have to tell him what's going on, so he knows what kind of fabric to use._

 _However, that would also require telling the others..._

 _...Oh well, they'd find out soon enough anyway._

I sighed. "No, I grew. Being pregnant tends to do that to you."

They were all silent.

Linn spoke first.

"Oh... Well that explains a lot."

I felt an inner growl. What's that supposed to mean!?

I could feel Kuhn cringe at that.

"Linn... This may be the time to do what we talked about, and you know... Use tact?"

"Hey, I tried, didn't I?" She asked.

"You did!?" He asked incredulously.

"...Yeah...?" She replied.

I never wanted to leave the curtain again. I was so horribly embarrassed now...

"Chihiro." Karo said. "I could make you a new dress, and save you a sandwich. You can't train with no clothes, and an empty stomach."

 _Thank god for Karo! He can be socially awkward at times, but he's really emotionally sensitive._

"She got knocked up!?" Nina exclaimed. "Kahn, really? Why didn't you say anything! Congratulations Chihiro!"

Well, so much for sensitivity, and my composure.

I tried, and failed, to hold back sobs. This was the most humiliated I had ever felt.

"Did I say something wrong?" She asked.

I sighed deeply. "No... The father is dead, but you didn't know that."

Everyone was silent.

I felt this heavy feeling as I held in sobs, like the weight of the world was on my chest. It was this feeling of not being able to breath, and not caring if you were.

I was pretty sure most of them had left to train, but I could hear Karo messing with fabric in the background.

I felt like my heart was ready to explode.

 _Why? Why won't this horrible pain go away? Why am I so alone!?_

 _...I'm so alone..._

 _(Chihiro... You can come back! I have another pie ready!)_

 _No thank you... Just let me be lonely._

 _(You poor thing... It's awful being alone. I would know. Without you, the room is always cold and dark.)_

 _...Really? You're lonely...?_

 _(Yes Chihiro, I'm very lonely. Won't you come in my home? The door is always open...)_

 _...Maybe... But just for a..._

 _|No! Chihiro don't! You'd better leave her alone! I'm warning you.|_

 _Haku...?_

I felt a familiar warmth surround me, as if I were being embraced...

...It was him. I know it was him...

I started to sob loudly.

 _Haku! I miss you... I need you here! Please don't leave me. I don't want to be alone anymore!_

I could almost feel his tears, as he slowly let go.

"Chihiro, may I come in?" Shisuta asked.

"Sure." I sniffed. "Come on in."

She walked into the curtain, handing me a violet blue dress.

"Karo wanted me to make sure you received this..."

I nodded, and grabbed the dress. I tried it on, and it fit perfectly.

She sat down next to me. "Chihiro, Kahn told me about what was going on. I had not told anyone else. I am truly sorry..."

"It's no one's fault." I said softly, beginning to tear up again.

"I just wish things were different..."

I smiled sadly. "If Haku were still here, he'd be ecstatic at news like this."

I began to cry softly.

Shisuta wrapped an arm around me.

"I am sure he is excited, right now."

I nodded slowly, absorbing Shisuta's words. She was right, he was probably very happy...

"Shisuta, where are we?" I aksed. "Because I know it's not in the spirit world."

She shook her head. "No, you are absolutely correct. It is not the spirit world, but we are spirits. We simply retain a solid form. I theorize, that it is a testing ground."

"A testing ground?" I asked.

"Yes, a testing ground." She replied. "Our world is in a state of Purgatory. Or rather, an in between world."

"So we're the living dead..." I said solemnly.

"Essentially, yes." She replied.

"How do you know all of this?" I asked curiously.

"You're asking me how I...?" Her face went pale.

Her head hung, and her eyes were shaded.

"A world of sleep, in dreamer's wake. Not all it seems, not give and take. Take or be taken, own or be owned. It dulls the mind, and chills the bones... You come in seeking knowledge wild, ask and you shall receive my child, but do be warned it eats, it churns, seeking knowledge which to burn... Burned in mind and burned in soul, the knowledge keeper pays her toll... A toll to the ferry man, ferrying down... Down... Down..."

I tapped her shoulder. "Shisuta..."

"Down... Down... Down..."

I shook her softly. "Sh-Shisuta!?"

She grabbed my shoulders, her stare intense.

"Down. Down. DOWN. DOWN!"

I shook her hardly. "SHISUTA! Snap out of it! What's the matter!?"

She snapped back, sobbing violently.

"...I... I'm damned Chihiro... Damned. No matter what I do, no matter what happens here... I am cursed to never know happiness. A curse I brought upon myself, for knowledge. I don't want it ANYMORE! This knowledge... All it is good for in the end, is weight. WEIGHT! It will drag me into the abyssal depths of darkness, and that will be the end..."

She grabbed on to me and cried, shaking softly.

"You know, for a while there... I thought I was normal. A normal girl, with normal problems..."

She stood. "No. I will never be normal... I will no longer need your hospitality. Tell Karo I'm sorry, and not to look for me. I will end this war, as a final penance."

I stood. "Shisuta, wait! Are you out of your-!?"

She pulled out an injection, and stuck me. I could feel my head going light, and collapsed to the floor.

 _"Chihiro... Forgive me."_

 _"Sh-Shisuta... No..."_

This was it. I could feel it in my very core...

...This act of penance. It was the beginning of the end.


	47. Chapter 47

****I am pleased to say that this will be the first story I have ever finished. It's true, the first story is coming near to a close. There will be more though, and if you enjoy this, just wait for the sequel.**

 **I know I'm looking forward to writing it.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 47! :)****

Chapter 47: Penance or Peril? The Beginning of The End

Karo was training Boh again, and he seemed to be excelling quite fast. Boh had gotten much faster, and was able to keep battles going.

He looked back at the cottage, and the most indescribably horrible feeling filled him. He didn't know why, but it was bad.

"What's the matter boss?" Boh asked. "You look really scared. Are you okay Karo?"

He nodded slowly. "I'm fine... I just need to check something, I'll be right back."

He walked inside of the cottage, and looked around. He saw Chihiro's arm sticking awkwardly out of the curtain, laying on the cottage floor.

He ran to her. She was unconscious inside of the curtain, but she was alive.

He shook her. "Chihiro!? Chihiro! Come on, wake up!"

No movement. She was still, and motionless.

"What is this!? CHIHIRO!"

Kahn walked in the cottage, and saw Karo shaking Chihiro on the floor.

He ran to them.

"Is she alright!? What's going on!?" He exclaimed.

"I-I don't know! I just found her here!" Karo replied.

Kahn quickly examined her features, and discovered something.

Shisuta had mentioned a toxin that was made with traces of explosive fungus, and ambrosia extract. The balance of the two created a powerful sedative. Of put the effected victim into a comatose state, leaving dark circles under the eyes as it's only trace. It would continue to linger until cured. Shisuta was the only one on this island who could concoct such a poison, but why? What could her reasoning have possibly been?

Now that Kahn thought about it, he hadn't seen her anywhere since breakfast.

Why would she do this!?

"Let me see something..." Said Kahn.

He moved the curtain, and some clothes. It was as he suspected. Shisuta had left the antidote, and she had wanted us to find it. None of this made any logical sense, but it was clear that Shisuta wasn't thinking logically.

He injected the antidote into her blood stream... She shot up, looking around frantically.

"Shisuta! Where is she!?"

...

Karo stared at me, his face held an expression of shock.

"Where is she!?" I exclaimed. "I need to know now!"

"Wh-What does Shisuta have to do with this?" He asked shakily.

I thought for a moment about what she had said, and I realized exactly where she was going. She was going to end the war, as a final penance. She was headed to the bathhouse.

I felt the blood leave my head as my face went pale.

"The bathhouse... She's headed to the bathhouse, to end the war."

Kahn's expression went blank. He stood.

"Then we're getting her back."

Karo stood. "I'll go with you, if it means rescuing Shisuta."

I stood slowly. "I'm in, but we need to figure out where she is first. Give me that syringe."

I had been perfecting my scrying skill, and now it was coming in handy.

Kahn handed me the syringe, and I focused my energy on Shisuta.

I saw the entire bathhouse, and her presence was near the vicinity.

I closed in to her exact location, and saw the door to the boiler room. I looked inside, and Shisuta was there. She was wrapped up in a spider web, a horrible creature digging at her back. She was limp and motionless, but I could sense that something had gone horribly wrong, and definitely not according to plan.

I opened my eyes. "She's alive, but she's locked in the boiler room."

Kahn tensed. "Wh-What!? No! NO! Are you serious!? We have to leave now!"

"Wait, what about the boiler room!?" Asked Karo in a panic.

"What's wrong with the boiler room!?"

"There's something horrible locked down there." I answered.

"Which is why we're leaving now."

"Leaving where?" Asked Kuhn. Linn, Nina, No-Face, and the children were with them.

"We're rescuing Shisuta." I said. "She went on her own to save the bathhouse, and got herself locked in the boiler room."

Linn's eyes widened. "Well, that's not good!"

"We're coming with you." Said Kuhn. "There's no way I'm letting you guys go alone!"

"Me neither!" Said Boh and Haruka in sync.

"Absolutely NOT!" Said Karo, Nina, Kahn, and Kuhn. All in sync.

"But, you'll need a medic!" Haruka fought.

"Yeah, and I've been training really hard!" Boh agreed.

"We can't just send kids into a war zone." Nina said sternly. "None of us want to see you die."

Boh's face held a look of resolve, he spoke.

"Yeah, and what if you don't come back? What then?"

They stopped.

They were silent.

"It means you've lost, that's what! Do you think I want to fight, or to kill, or to hurt anyone!? I don't, but if all of us don't work together, we're all going to die! If you die, and don't come back, it's game over. The tainted will come, and they'll kill us anyway! If we all work together, even if we all end up dead... At least we can say we gave it our all."

I was stunned. That made perfect sense.

...So it has come down to this. Children fighting in wars, and bloodying their hands.

Was this the end...?

A tear slipped down my cheek.

"He's right..." I said sadly. "I don't like it, but he's right."

I waked up to Boh, and gave him a hug.

"Give it your all, and protect Haruka, she's our only medic... Be careful, because Nina's also right. None of us want to see you die."

I felt a small splash, as a large tear fell on top of my head.

I looked up at him. Tears were flowing steadily down his face, but there were more than tears. There was that bold, headstrong, never give up attitude. One that told me he was scared, but that wouldn't stop him from doing what was right.

He lifted his hand, and saluted me.

"Yes Ma'am."

We all marched forward, half knowing what was ahead, but not naïve enough anymore to expect the same forces as before.

We were diving head first into a wild card, and we knew it.


	48. Chapter 48

****So, I know this song on YouTube, and it describes the last chapter. Specifically Boh's resolve. It's called 'If Today Was Your Last Day' by Nickelback.**

 **Here's the link:**

youtube **-**. **-** com/?#/watch?v=pnxmi5KNjAc

 **I thought the dashes in bold (to be erased) may have been hard to find for some, so I underlined them too.**

 **Well, this is it. Enjoy Chapter 48! :)****

Chapter 48: A Touch of Prophecy

Kuhn, Nina, Linn, Boh, Karo, and I were all marching forward. I was in the front. Linn and Kuhn were to my left, and Nina and Boh to my right. Kahn had taken Haruka ahead with him , and was hiding with her in the shadows. He gave her a dagger as a last resort, though we all hoped she wouldn't have to use it.

We saw the roof of the bathhouse in sight, and I suddenly felt sick to my stomach.

We had no idea what we were up against this time.

We weren't going directly to the bathhouse just yet, Kahn went ahead of us to scope the area of the boiler room, and snipe out any unnecessary targets.

We were saving Shisuta first. The bathhouse would have to wait.

We neared he boiler room, and saw Kahn was out to meet us.

"There were no enemies within at least 80 meters of the boiler room. I have a bad feeling..."

He looked at the door. Shisuta was in there right now. She didn't have long, and we all knew it.

"We'll, there's no going back. We're getting inside of that boiler room."

...

Shisuta was in an immense amount of pain. The Neurotoxin that was in her blood stream, was constantly being reapplied by the creature which slowly fed off of her flesh. She could feel everything, but was unable to move.

 _I was a fool to run in there alone, and now I am paying for it._

 _I wonder if the others are looking for me?_

 _Please! Don't look for me! If you find me you are all going to die! I'm not worth all of your lives..._

 _I am just a monster, damned like a monster, dying like an insect. I'm not worth it._

There was banging on the door. They were here.

The predator stopped feasting on my flesh, and began clawing at the door. The fact that he had stopped focusing on her, didn't aid her pain, but there was something else.

The longer he stayed away, the faster the Neurotoxin wore off.

They had been at it for five minutes, and the spider beast was getting angry. She saw a slit of light enter the room. She still couldn't move, but she could talk.

"NO! STOP! This room is death! Leave me! Save yourselves!"

"She's Alive!" Said Kuhn.

The banging became more intense.

"I said RUN, DAMMIT! RUN! You don't have to do this! I don't want you too!"

They barged in with a blast of magic, leaving splinters where a door used to be.

"Sorry Shisuta." Said Chihiro. "Were we late?"

...

"Behind you!" She yelled.

We turned around in time to dodge it's stinger. Well... Most of us did.

Karo had been stuck in the back, and dragged up into the rafters.

"K-KARO! NO! No..." She began to sob softly.

"We'll get him back." I said to everyone. "Just stay calm."

It was Me, Kuhn and Linn, No-Face, Kahn, Boh, Haruka, and Nina. The two children were in the center, the four of us surrounding them and looking out in all directions.

A large web shot out, pulling Linn, screaming into the darkness.

There was silence.

Kuhn lost his composure.

"Dammit! LINN!" He ran after Linn, and was pulled in as well.

"He's picking us off like flies!" Kahn yelled.

"That's my brother Chihiro! I can't just stand by and wait for an opening."

His face became calm, and I knew what was coming.

That inevitable truth, becoming a reality before my eyes...

...Kahn burst with power, forcing his seal to break.

He seemed to pull everyone in the room, including those who had been taken, to a corner in the room.

A shield formed around all of us.

"NO!" I screamed. "I know what you're doing! I'm not going to let you die here!"

He looked back at me, giving me the most genuine smile.

"I won't die here." He said. "I will live on in you, and you will finish this."

He turned around, and the room filled with an intense flash of light...

...The room dimmed, and the boiler room was no more.

The shield around us had faded. He was gone.

Haruka was sobbing violently.

"Th-There's none of Kahn left t-to even heal!"

Boh put a hand around her.

"No, but the others need you..."

She nodded shakily, pulling out some of the serums she had made.

She administered them to the members of the group who needed it.

Kuhn sat up, his face white. He had a blank expression as tears fell down his face.

He stood, and walked toward the rubble where Kahn once stood.

He just stood there, staring blankly forward.

...Then he fell to his knees, and screamed.

It was horrible... It was all my fault...

 _I knew this was coming! I knew this was the day... Then why...?_

 _Why just this once, can't I do ANYTHING RIGHT!?_

 _HUH!? WHERE ARE YOU GOD!? WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!?_

 _(Gone... Let me handle this. I'll make them all pay...)_

I felt myself darken, my very soul had broken...

...and all that was left? Well, it was a vessel.

A vessel of destruction.

...

I was floating in a dark space.

It was cold, and I had only mere glimpses of what reality was. The smell of tainted blood as it gushed on my claws and soaked my arms. The bloodlust running through my own heart, and the speed of shadows carrying me forward.

I felt this power.

This exhilarating, rightful power...

It was mine, all mine!

 _(All you have to do is let me take your soul into mine. I'll even let you steer... With our powers combined, anything is possible! All of the world's will once again be in the palm of our hand!_

 _...Just say the words Chihiro, and set us both free...)_

 _Such power! The power to crush my enemies! Yes! YES!_

 _...No._

 _No, what am I doing!?_

 _I have to stop this!_

 _I... You... You're the one that leads them, aren't you?_

 _(Yes... And imagine all of that power in your capable hands. It's our power Chihiro. Ours.)_

 _No, it's your power. It always was. It's not mine, and it never will be._

 _I'm leaving._

I stood at the entrance to Yubaba's office. Yubaba was dead, and disappeared in front of me. I was pretty certain that I had killed her.

Well I guess that means I'm not her apprentice after all.

I sensed a dark presence, and knew Kaihn was in there. I walked inside, and shut the door behind me.

Kaihn turned to face me, he had a malicious grin of approval on his face.

"You know, I thought you were just some heroic simpleton. Always trying to save the day, and someone useless, not worth my time. Well, it seems I thought wrong... Such beauty, such... Malice. It cannot exist in a hero. No, you are meant for greater things. If you must kill me, then do so... And my kingdom is yours."

I let a sad smile cross my lips.

"Yes, you're going to die..."

I walked up to him.

"You will die, and I won't even have to touch you."

"Wh-What are you saying?" He asked, his face held an expression of dread.

"I'm calling you're bluff." I said. I put a hand to his face, and held it there.

"Goodbye Kaihn, for where I go, you cannot follow."

I heard one final scream...

And I was gone.

...

They all saw it, all at the same time.

The roof of the bathhouse being blown into endless oblivion.

All of the tainted that had surrounded them, were now gone.

They all stared at the top, as ashes flew down from it.

They knew then what Chihiro had done.

Kuhn stood tall, and lifted his hand, saluting her.

Boh and Linn stood next to him, and saluted.

All of them stood before the ruins of their victory, and saluted her ashes.

...The ashes of a true warrior.

A blue shimmer flew across the sky...

No, a blue dragon.

It was gone as soon as it appeared... Leaving a good omen on the land.

...

I awoke in a white room.

The space itself didn't have a vibe one way or another, it was who I found there that made the difference.

I stood, tears streaming from my eyes. I ran to him, and wrapped him in a hug.

"I missed you..." I said, crying softly.

He wiped away my tears, kissing me softly.

"I know..." He said sadly "I wish I could have held you then."

I looked at him, and noticed... It was our child, in his arms.

I smiled. "Well, I guess you're held up holding this little guy instead.

He leaned into me, our bodies turning to light.

He smiled softly, saying the words I'd been waiting to hear.

"Where we're going, no one can tear us apart... I promise."

He made that promise, and this time...

...I knew it was true.

 ****There's an epilogue after this, so hang in there.****


	49. Epilogue

Epilogue

Ten years had passed since that fateful day, and a lot had changed since then.

Boh had gotten much larger, and could no longer fit through normal doors. This, however, was not an issue at the bathhouse...

...Though it wasn't really a bathhouse anymore.

Linn and Kuhn were now Co-owners of a dine-in resort named 'The Warrior's Respite'

Originally, they were going to tear down the building. Once Linn saw how much it was worth, she had to have it. She HAD to.

Kuhn insisted on the name, because of how hard they had fought to protect the place.

Needless to say, it became quite the attraction. Linn often boasted about how she should have been running this place to begin with. It made her daughter Hiro roll her eyes.

Karo was still pursuing Shisuta, and trying to find time to impress her. Hell, even just one conversation would have been nice. She was the manager, the main secretary, she organized everyone's files, everyone's records, and booked all of the appointments! She was really what kept this place running.

Not that Karo was the head Chef or anything. Not that Karo didn't design every aesthetic piece of the building itself.

He looked down and moped.

 _I designed every pillar, wall, and brick in this building. I hand made all of the tablecloths and curtains, wrote all of the compositions they play in the background, and I even cook the food here._

 _But Nooooooo... My Job's just a piece of cake!_

"Karo? Are you aware that I have been standing here for approximately two minutes and thirty-six seconds?"

He jumped. "Oh! Sorry Shisuta. What was it you wanted to say?"

He leaned his arm on one of the pillars, and caught his wing, causing him to face plant into the marble floor.

She laughed. "Smooth... You did do the same thing yesterday, and the day before."

He stood up, holding his nose. "Yes, and it sucks just as much this time, as it did the last two times."

She smiled. "Well, I wanted to say thank you Karo. Your job is very important, and, well... To be honest, I still sit in the dining hall for all of my meals. Your cooking never ceases to amaze me."

Karo was red in the face.

"W-Wow... Thank you. You have no idea how much that means... I... Maybe we should-"

She looked at her watch.

"Sorry, I have to get back to work!"

She ran back to her desk on the other side of the room.

We were both on the top floor, Shisuta was there because she worked there. I was there, because the extremely obese wind spirit of High Nobility, had the audacity to complain about my food.

I think her fat cells and taste buds went to war. Her taste buds were swallowed in the tragedy that is her mouth.

Linn laughed and elbowed me in the side.

"Damn, that blew right over her head, didn't it?"

Kuhn sighed, but you could tell he was smiling.

"Linn, Are you picking on Karo again? Well, I see your point."

Nina and Haruka began to laugh.

"I swear, I never get tired of it!" Haruka laughed.

"Yeah!" Nina agreed. "The look on his face! Like someone kicked a puppy in front of him!"

They all laughed.

I gaped. "Wha-? That's so mean... Shisuta, can you believe the...?"

She was sitting in her desk, hugging her next set of files.

"And you will go in folder A, and you will go in folder C! And you...? Oh, I have a special folder for those ones..."

She hugged them more. "I love my job..."

"I'm so writing that down... Like... Wow." Said Hiro. She was nine now, but a lot of the time, she was like a little teenager.

Shisuta stood to place an important file in the filing cabinet across the room. She practically skipped across the room... Well, half way across.

She stood there in silent awe, dropping her files and papers to the floor.

They had all stopped, and stared.

"Hey, like, you're not supposed to be in here." Said Hiro. "Make an appointment with... Shisuta?"

She was frozen.

I turned to look at the door, and everything seemed to stop.

Kahn was standing in the doorway...

...He had been sent back.

 _ ****UPDATE****_

 ** _The sequel is called: "Spirited Away: The Gatekeepers" Sorry, I know some of you might not have known there was one... :P_**


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